Everything is upside down
by 29TvG
Summary: Hede von Trapp is invited to the grand and glorious party. Thinking that her brother's desire is to marry Baroness Schraeder, she is surprised to find Georg quite smitten with a certain governess. AU. [COMPLETE]
1. Chapter 1

This story is a sequel to "Impromptu", though you don't need to read it to understand this one.

* * *

Hede von Trapp was on her balcony in her apartment in Paris, enjoying the summer breeze and savoring the views of the beautiful buildings. She could never tire of looking down upon the rooftops of Paris and the leafy boulevards. It was one of the reasons she loved to paint.

She was drowsy after an eventful weekend and was tempted to sleep a little more in the afternoon sun when the telephone rang. She frowned, wondering who was calling her and went to pick up the phone.

"Hello?"

There was a pause before a very familiar voice answered. "Hede, it's me."

She blinked several times, surprised to hear his voice after all this time that he had refused to speak to her. "Georg?" Despite everything, she was thrilled to hear from him.

"Yes." He sounded sheepish. Hede was sure he was remembering their last conversation and how badly it ended. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, a little bit tired but fine. Has something happened?" she asked, quite worried. After Agathe passed away, Georg never called her. Maybe something had happened to the children.

"No, no. The children are fine and quite excited. We've just returned from the Mirabell Gardens," he chuckled lightly.

Hede was puzzled. The last time she had heard her brother laughing was four years ago; had he just said he had gone with the children to Salzburg? She was astonished, considering the way he had been detaching himself from his children over the last few years. She was pleased to notice that even his voice had lost that edge of sorrow that she remembered.

"I'm hosting a party in my villa and I wanted to invite you."

"A party? I thought you despised parties. Why on earth are you organizing one ?" she asked, recalling how he always complained about aristocratic balls. Suddenly, she remembered the latest gossip about her brother and a distinguished woman he was courting. She suspected that was his main reason for hosting a party.

"I thought it was time to do it," Georg answered vaguely.

She decided to push him further. "Some weeks ago, I was in Vienna and I heard gossip about you being linked with a Baroness. Her name was..."

"Baroness Schraeder, Elsa," he interrupted her, irritation in his voice. "I hate gossip."

"Don't blame them, Georg. They have nothing to do but talk about other people. Is it true then?"

"Yes."

She could hear him clear his throat uncomfortably, and she wondered why he didn't say more about this Baroness. Still, she knew he tended to be reserved at the best of times.

"That's wonderful, Georg" Hede smiled, happy to know her brother was moving on. "Finally, you are letting people get close to you again. It must be serious if you are holding a party together." Overcome with curiosity and deciding to be daring she asked, "Are you thinking about proposing?"

Georg didn't reply immediately. He sighed, and then answered evasively. "It's complicated. I don't want to talk about it on the telephone."

"Very well then. Tell me when the party is and I'll try to clear my schedule."

Hede wrote the date she should arrive and checked that she didn't have important arrangements to do that week. She was about to say goodbye when he started to speak again in an apologetic tone.

"Hede...I appreciate very much that you're coming after the way things have been between us." His voice was full of remorse, and Hede knew he meant it.

"Forget it, Georg. Let's leave the past behind us."

Even if she couldn't see him, she was sure he had a smile on his face.

"Thank you, Hede. You're very forgiving. Well...I have to go. I'll send Franz to pick up you at the train station."

"Goodbye Georg, take care."

She hung up the telephone and didn't move for a while, quite astonished that her headstrong and proud brother had approached her after their last argument. It was completely unexpected.

But it was reassuring to think that perhaps he was finally getting over his grief. She was filled with curiosity about the new lady in his life. She must be special if she had even managed to persuade him to hold a party.

She turned back to the balcony to enjoy the summer breeze again, thinking about what dress she should wear for the party, and feeling happy that she would see Georg again soon.

* * *

Several days after their conversation, Hede was on a train to Salzburg heading to her brother's villa. She was eagerly anticipating meeting the mysterious woman he was courting.

It was the first time since Agathe's death that Georg had shown interest in another woman. It must be a good sign; maybe her brother was finally healing and had realized he could love another woman without betraying Agathe's memory. If she made him happy, that was all that mattered. Hede would be exhilarated to have her brother back to the way he used to be.

She remembered how blissfully happy he had been with Agathe. When Georg met his future wife he had left his rakish side behind without any qualms. She smiled, recalling perfectly how Georg only had eyes for his Agathe, how her smile brightened his eyes. She had been everything to him. Even when he lost the Navy he still had her in his life. But when she died, Georg had been so devastated, it was if he had lost his reason for living.

Hede knew him well enough to notice the subtle physical changes. He still dressed impeccably in his tailored suits and his black polished shoes, his hair was always combed back perfectly, his jaw was without any trace of stubble. He was Baron von Trapp, a decorated Captain. The only hints that his exterior had changed were the dark circles around his eyes betraying his lack of sleep, and his pronounced cheekbones because he had little appetite.

Looking through the window and admiring the beautiful Austrian landscape, Hede tried to remember when was the last time she was at the villa. She had spoken with him several times after Agathe passed away, she also went to the villa some months after he had buried his wife and tried to help him with his children. However, she had found him full of anger; bitter with the world and raging against fate that had robbed him of his wife. Few people dared people to approach him. The children had suffered the most. Gone was the loving parent, and in his place was a resentful man who only lived to be busy, mastering the art of pushing aside his problems and closing his eyes when the children needed him.

Though Hede returned to the villa and tried to coax him into taking care of his children, she had never been successful, always coming up against an impenetrable wall. Whenever she questioned the discipline he had resorted to, to manage them, he had reacted angrily and defensively. She sighed, closing her eyes, while his harsh words from the last time she had tried, returned to her mind.

_Hede had been at the villa for a day and was concerned about her brother. Georg was at the villa but was completely absent. He hadn't greeted her when she arrived, he didn't eat with the children or her, and he didn't leave his study. Eventually, she sought him out, determined to change his behavior by talking to him._

_She had found him in his study, with a bottle of whiskey on his mahogany desk, nursing a glass of the dark liquid in his hand. She was shocked at his tousled hair, the rolled up sleeves showing his forearms and the loosened tie. When Georg was disheveled it showed he was at his most vulnerable, leaving the immaculately groomed Baron behind and revealing the real Georg. They had both had an aristocratic upbringing and because of that, her brother had always been a little obsessive about his appearance; it was his way of distancing himself from people and it had also helped him to serve in the Navy. She could only recall two times when she had seen Georg like that. Both times he had been too devastated to be bothered about his appearance._

_Hede approached him quietly. He was brooding and seemed far away with his thoughts. In one hand he held his wedding picture._

_"One day I'll fly next to you, my love..."He whispered in a broken voice to himself, unaware of Hede's presence._

_Her heart broke into a million pieces when he said that. It hurt her terribly to see how much he was suffering. She decided to tentatively break his reverie._

_Hede touched him lightly on his shoulder. He jerked back, and when he looked at her she saw a wave of anger she'd never seen in him before._

_"Georg, how are you?" she asked softly, hoping to calm him down._

_"Leave me alone, Hede!" he snapped, taking a large gulp of whiskey and putting down the glass with such force that part of the contents sloshed onto the desk. _

_If he thought he could scare her with his anger he was wrong. She knew him better than anyone else did, apart from Agathe. She ignored his outburst and frowned. "It's too early to drink whiskey, you didn't even have a proper breakfast." _

_"I really don't care, Hede" She could tell that he was slightly intoxicated from the way he drawled. Hede hated seeing him this way. She took the half-full bottle from the desk and left it on the cabinet. She tried to reason with him._

_"Georg, you can't shut yourself off from the world. Your children need you."_

_"Leave. me. alone!" he hissed, clenching his teeth. _

_Hede lost her patience, feeling angrier with each answer he gave. "You're behaving badly. The children need you, even more now that they have lost their mother. Don't you see that you're losing them? They're growing up and you have barely noticed them. Have you realized Liesl is a teenager? She's being forced to be their mother and their father because you are neglecting them! Have you noticed Gretl is already three years old? You're not the only one who's grieving!"_

_Apparently, it was the wrong thing to say because he suddenly stood up from his chair, crossed the room in three strides, and opened the door forcefully, his face full of rage._

"_You have no right to talk about my children in this way, and nor should you judge the way I am raising them," he snapped, leaving no room for any kind of argument. He finished stiffly, "Perhaps it would be best if you returned to Paris." _

_She was about to protest and try to reason with him, but the fire in his eyes stopped her. She sighed in despair, and left the room, deciding to spend some time with the children before leaving again for Paris. _

After she left Aigen, Hede called once a week to speak to the children and make sure her brother didn't do something foolish. He never talked to her on the telephone, though Frau Schmidt was kind enough to tell her how he was doing. From what the housekeeper said though, there had been little improvement, and if anything he appeared to be withdrawing from them even more, spending a great deal of time away from home.

Hede was glad the children still had their mother's parents at least, and that they could spend Christmases peacefully with their grandparents, away from their father's grim moods.

She returned to Aigen several times to be with her nieces and nephews on special occasions. When she couldn't be there, it was because she was in the middle of a creative flow, but if it was someone's birthday, she always sent presents. Georg usually wasn't there, and if he was he never dared to come between her and the children. They never spoke again, and if he saw her, he only greeted her with a distant nod.

While she could understand his grief, he wasn't the only one who was suffering. As she had told him, the children had lost their mother. Liesl and Friedrich had had to mature faster to take care of their younger siblings. The little ones barely knew their mother and even the rest of the children had trouble remembering her. Furthermore, they were starting to accept they had lost their father too. Even when he was home they felt the distance in him. Their loving "Papa" had become their stern "Father" instead.

Although both Hede and Georg had been educated strictly not to show their emotions, she was hurt every time she saw him. After all, Georg was her little brother. They had relied on each other throughout their lives because their father had died when Hede was eight years old; then their brother passed away too soon while serving in the Navy, and their mother had died of a broken heart only one year after Werner was killed. Then Georg had lost the Navy, and the last blow had hit him so hard that it seemed impossible to believe he could ever recover.

Hede pushed away the negative thoughts and tried to focus on the positive ones, enjoying the familiar landscape and the beauty of the Austrian forests and mountains. Though she was happy to live in Paris, surrounded by artists like herself, there were times when she missed her homeland and the peace she felt when she was at home.

After several hours on the train, she arrived at the Salzburg station. Franz was already waiting for her, and just looking at his face it was quite easy to see that he wasn't happy to be there. He had been the butler ever since she could remember. In all that time his frowns and disapproving looks had never left his face. Franz had only ever respected her mother.

When she arrived at the villa she was surprised and touched to find Georg already waiting for her, with a lopsided smile on his face. She got out of the car and approached him but stopped when she was in front of him. Hede didn't know how what to do, so she decided it was best if she made the first move. She hugged him tentatively. Georg seemed doubtful, reserved as always, though in the end he relaxed and kissed her cheek tenderly.

"How was your journey?" he asked, giving her a full smile. Hede was heartened that he kept his arm around her shoulders.

"Exhausting...But I'm glad to be here. How are you?" she asked. She studied him. Although he seemed more at peace than when she last saw him, there was still something not quite right, she could tell.

He hesitated just for one second before replying in a firm tone. "I'm fine."

Hede wasn't so sure, but she didn't want to push him before talking to Georg about their last conversation. Though Hede had told Georg it was forgotten, she knew it was necessary to talk about it.

"I'm glad. You look good." Hede smiled, noticing how his cheeks were fuller. He had regained the weight he had lost several years before.

"Thank you. You look wonderful as always, though you must be tired."

There was an awkward pause before he continued. "The children are playing next to the lake, they will be very happy to see you." He shifted from one foot to another one, looking a bit uncomfortable. Hede realized that they definitely should talk before the party. She sensed he was ill at ease about something, but she wasn't sure it was his sorrow about Agathe this time.

Hede nodded and walked towards the villa, while he told her some details about the party. They went into the parlor and sat down. Georg drummed his fingers on his thigh.

"Max is here, I'm sure you remember him. Right now he's in Salzburg, but he will return tonight."

Hede smiled. "How can I forget him? He's been around you for twenty years, and I must say that of all your friends, he's the most loyal."

"Max is a charming sponge, though sometimes he can be a child."

"And you can be very obstinate," she teased him. "You two make an interesting pair." Hede raised an eyebrow, laughing.

"Good afternoon, my dear." An elegant, feminine voice interrupted their conversation.

Hede looked at the woman in the doorway. She was very beautiful, with blonde hair, big blue eyes, and red lipstick. She was tall and had a very fine figure, dressed in a spectacular skirt and a silk blouse.

Georg rose politely and went to her, introducing them. "Elsa, this is my sister, Hede von Trapp. Hede, this is Baroness Schraeder."

"How do you do? Call me Elsa, please," she said, giving Hede an enchanting smile.

"Nice to meet you, Elsa," Hede replied.

They made small talk while waiting for Hede's nieces and nephews to appear. Hede asked Elsa a few questions, wanting to get to know the woman who had helped heal Georg's heartache.

Suddenly, the foyer was filled with laughs and screams from the children. Little Gretl stuck her head into the parlor and ran to Hede.

"Aunt Hede, Aunt Hede!" she squealed, throwing herself into Hede's arms and hugging her.

She didn't have time to say anything to Gretl because the children were around her in the blink of an eye, the little ones encircling her waist and the older ones talking at the same time. Hede touched their cheeks, surprised and delighted to see them so happy. She remembered that the last time she had been here they couldn't hide their sadness.

"Oh my goodness, you all look so grown up!" she said affectionately.

"Aunt Hede, we were playing hide and seek, and I won! Poor Fraulein Maria, her dress is full of mud," Kurt said excitedly.

"Who is Fraulein Maria?" Hede asked curiously.

"Our governess! She's the best, she plays with us and she sings like you can't imagine!" Brigitta answered her, with her brothers and sisters nodding.

At the door, there was a girl who didn't look much older than Liesl. She had blond hair, cut in a strange style though it suited her somehow. Her blue eyes were shining from the exercise, and there was an energy about her that the other governesses seemed to have lacked. Her yellow dress was covered in mud and she seemed embarrassed to be in that situation in front of her employer.

"You rascals, what did you do to your poor governess?"

"It wasn't our fault, Aunt Hede! She was so engrossed in looking at the lake that when Friedrich startled her, she fell into the mud."

Their father cleared his throat and the children turned to him. Hede was astonished at the difference between how they looked at him now, compared to before. They weren't scared, not daring to look at his eyes. Instead, they looked at him with admiration and love. Hede was sure that some months ago he would have hushed his children and ordered them sternly to march into the garden quietly.

"Hede, this is Fraulein Maria, the children's governess," he said, without taking his eyes from Hede's. "Fraulein, maybe you should change your clothes before dinner."

The governess chewed her lip, glued to the spot next to the door and nodded, with her cheeks flushed. After politely greeting Hede she disappeared. Hede was intrigued by the subtle tensions in the room. Elsa had a strange expression on her face, and Georg was frowning.

"Children, why don't you tell Aunt Hede what you did in your puppet show?" Georg said with a sudden smile in his face, and immediately their eyes lit up and they started talking at the same time.

Hede enjoyed their stories and asked questions about what they did with the governess. Georg was busy pouring some drinks, and the Elsa was seated on the other sofa, looking out of place as she concentrated on her cigarette. After some minutes, the governess returned dressed in a lovely blue dress, but she was walking slowly like she was trying to be invisible.

The children were ecstatic to have their governess near them, asking her if they could have another picnic or play capture the flag. Hede smiled; Fraulein Maria really knew how to make the children happy. She looked at Georg to ask him a question but stopped when she saw his eyes transfixed on the governess. He seemed oblivious that he was staring at her, with his mouth slightly parted and wiggling his fingers. Suddenly, he blinked several times and turned abruptly back to the cabinet.

Elsa stood up gracefully and approached Georg, taking the glass he was offering her with one hand and resting her free hand on his arm. To Hede, it seemed a possessiveness gesture because of the way she gripped his sleeve with her fingers. Her brother was uncomfortable, his shoulders were entirely rigid and he had a forced smile, though she doubted anyone would notice it. Although he was an expert in hiding his emotions, he didn't fool her.

She decided not to jump to conclusions and returned her full attention to the childrem. Georg and Elsa left the parlor to be alone. Accompanied by Fraulein Maria, she spent part of the afternoon with the children, playing with the little ones, and she even had a private conversation with Liesl.

Frau Schmidt announced that dinner was ready, and Hede approached the housekeeper, greeting her warmly, inquiring about her wellbeing. Just like Franz, Frau Schmidt had been working at the villa since she was little, and Hede had always been fond of the woman.

"I've seen some things have improved since I was here last. Georg is...different somehow," Hede said, wanting to know the housekeeper's opinion.

"Yes, Fraulein von Trapp. The Captain is rebuilding his relationship with his children thanks to Fraulein Maria. Only last week he was sick and they were so worried about him. When he got better he took the children to Salzburg and spent an entire day with them, alone. You should have seen their faces. They were so happy," she said, smiling. Hede could see how devoted she was to them.

"My stubborn brother is very lucky to have you, Frau Schmidt."

Frau Schmidt chuckled quietly and shook her head. "It's good to see that he is so much more at peace with his loss."

Hede went to the dining room, where the children were already waiting for her. Frau Schmidt had to rearrange the chairs for twelve people because, as Marta told her, Fraulein Maria had to have dinner with them and they also wanted to be with their papa. Hede noticed Elsa wasn't happy with the situation, but she didn't say anything. Instead, she sat next to Georg and dragged him into an endless conversation about the party while they waited for dinner to begin.

Max arrived just in time before the meal was served. He greeted Hede fondly, not having seen her in some time.

Hede was about to start eating but was surprised when a gesture from her brother made her stop. The children, Georg and Fraulein Maria clasped their hands, and the governess thanked the Lord. She was amazed at that gesture, finding it very interesting that her brother had let God back into his life.

During dinner, she spoke with the children, exchanged bad jokes with Max and talked a little with the governess, curious about her. She was surprised to learn she was a postulant, and the governess seemed devoted to accomplishing her dream. Hede admired her determination to pursue her desire; not everyone was ready to give their life to God.

Afterwards, they went to the parlor. Max had a cigar in his hand and Georg was drinking scotch. He had a smile on his face but it didn't reach his eyes. He seemed thoughtful and distracted, though he replied to Elsa when she spoke to him or chuckled if Max made a joke.

Hede had assumed that with Elsa next to him he wouldn't be able to take his eyes off her; even more so because of the spectacular red dress that she had put on for dinner. In truth, the dress was far more suited for an opera than for a simple dinner. However, Hede was completely wrong, and she guessed that something wasn't quite right because Georg hardly ever looked at Elsa in the eyes.

Suddenly he looked sideways and only after he did it again could Hede follow his eyes, curiously. She was shocked to find he was stealing glances at the governess. She had thought Georg disliked the woman because he had completely ignored her. At first, when he had made the introductions he didn't even look at her, and then, when they were having dinner he was the only one who didn't share any words with her, far too engrossed with Elsa's conversation. He only addressed her once, very politely but coolly. Hede remembered Georg being more talkative with the other governess before Fraulein Maria.

The governess sat in the corner of the room, surrounded by the children and playing cards with them, completely unaware of her employer's glances. It was easy to see that she loved the children by the way she spoke to them, smiled at them, and even embraced them now and then. Gretl's head was resting on her arm, and when Fraulein Maria leaned down to kiss her forehead, Hede's heart stirred. Hede had only ever seen one other person behave with such tenderness with the children, apart from Georg, and that was Agathe.

"Gretl, it's time for bed," Fraulein Maria said softly, caressing her hair. "And for you too, children."

The children complained about it, but just a look from Fraulein Maria was enough to stop them. Liesl, who was allowed to go to bed one hour after her brothers and sisters, was also tired and decided to retire with them. Hede said goodnight to each child. When they were leaving, Marta ran towards her father, climbing onto his lap to get his full attention.

"Papa, would you read us a story?"

Georg kissed his forehead, grinning. "Of course, Liebling."

Marta clutched his fingers with her little hand and Georg followed her, giving Elsa and Max an apologetic smile before leaving the parlor with his children and the governess. Max chuckled, dragging on his cigar.

"Those little dears. They certainly know how to get what they want!"

"They remind me of Georg when he was little. When he wanted something he persisted until he got it," Hede replied, smiling wistfully.

"I can be determined too! Hede, now that you're here. Did you know the children can sing beautifully?"

She thought about it, though she was sure she had never listened to them singing. "I didn't know that, but I'm not surprised. Georg and Agathe were very musical."

"Oh, they have such lovely voices. Thanks to Fraulein Maria they have sung a few songs perfectly. Don't you think so, Elsa?" Max inquired.

Elsa smiled casually, nodding slightly. "Yes, they have."

Max continued, "And Fraulein Maria has perfect pitch. She even yodels and makes it seem as easy as speaking. Thanks to the puppet show I've discovered how talented she is."

While Max was enthusiastically talking about Fraulein Maria's gift, Elsa seemed uncomfortable with his praise, however, she tried to hide it with smiles.

Hede felt sympathy for the woman; it couldn't be easy courting a man with seven children from his first wife. But, if she wanted to succeed with Georg, Elsa would have to win the children over. That was clear from what Hede had witnessed today.

"Hede, do you think you could coax Georg into letting me take the children to the Salzburg Festival? It's too irresistible!" he suggested cunningly, trying to enlist her help.

"Max, since when has my brother listened to me? When he says no, he means no." Hede knew how stubborn her brother was about such things.

"Hmmm..." He stroked his mustache thoughtfully, muttering. "Perhaps I'll try with Fraulein Maria instead."

Hede rolled her eyes, knowing how persistent Max could be. "I think I'll retire. I'm exhausted after my journey, and I want to talk to Georg before going to sleep. Good night."

Hede left the parlour and went upstairs, thinking that maybe Georg was still telling the little ones a story. She was going to the nursery when her brother's voice reached her ears. She stopped near his private study, wondering if perhaps Georg was talking with a child. Even with the door closed, Hede could hear their voices.

"...we've decided that they should be in the courtyard; in that way, they can enjoy the party before their surprise," he finished, in a flat tone.

"Yes, Captain."

Hede recognized the governess's voice; she was surprised that the governess sounded so tense. It was in complete contrast to the tender, loving way she had been with the children.

There was a pause before her brother spoke again. "Is everything all right, Fraulein?"

"Yes, Captain," she replied again stiffly.

"Are you sure? You're very quiet and normally you are outspoken with me."

"I'm fine, sir," the governess stressed, though even Hede could tell from her tone that she wasn't. She could imagine that Georg was giving a frustrated sigh.

"Very well, Fraulein. You are dismissed," he said, with an edge of hurt in his voice.

Suddenly the door was opened and Fraulein Maria left the study, turning to the opposite side in which she was. Hede was glad that it was dark and the governess hadn't noticed her presence.

The door closed and Hede was alone again, trying to understand what she had just witnessed. It was completely baffling. In fact, everything she had seen since she arrived had been different to what she had expected. While she was delighted that Georg seemed to be gradually healing from his grief, at the same time there were tensions and undercurrents here that Hede could not make sense of.

Her head was starting to throb after a full day on the train and she knew she should sleep. Sighing tiredly, she entered her assigned bedroom, changed her clothes and lay on the bed, closing her eyes.

Her last thought before she drifted off was that something was going on at the villa and she was determined to find out what it was.

* * *

Special thanks to bloomandgrow for checking my grammar and encouraging me!

I don't own TSOM.


	2. Chapter 2

Hede woke up, disorientated at first until she remembered she was at the villa. She prepared herself for breakfast, looking at the clock and sighing with relief; she would arrive on time. Georg had always been obsessed with timing. He always rose before dawn to do his exercises. An entire life in the Navy had shaped his habits.

After dressing, she went downstairs, finding the children and the governess already seated at the table. She sat down next to her brother's empty chair, greeting everyone. She smiled mischievously; she had the perfect opportunity to tease her brother. Georg arrived in the dining room shortly afterwards, perfectly dressed in his black suit. When he sat down, Hede cleared her throat, with eyes full of amusement, pointing at her wristwatch.

"I think you've arrived five minutes late," Hede said casually.

"I was swimming in the lake," he muttered.

"You're usually never late." She was going to continue teasing him when she noticed he was hollow-eyed. It seemed he hadn't slept well.

Georg shrugged and gave her a little smile, before adding pompously. "I was distracted. But, as I said once to the children, a Captain is never late, he arrives when he's needed."

He deliberately changed the subject. "Now, Fraulein Maria can you please say grace," He flashed a look in the governess' general direction.

Hede frowned when she realized there were two chairs missing. "Shouldn't we wait until Elsa and Max are here? Aren't they going to have breakfast with us?"

"Baroness Schraeder wakes up at noon, and Uncle Max has gone back to Salzburg again. He said he needed to find people for the festival," Liesl explained to Hede.

That was an interesting piece of information. It was usually only after an exhausting party, that people to slept until noon. However, it seemed it was a habit for the Baroness to skip breakfast. The children didn't seem to mind though; with her absence, they were chatting far more than last night. They seemed reserved around her, probably trying to behave like good children. It was such a contrast to the way they had been before; for Hede it was clear they were making this effort for their father.

Georg clasped his hands and nodded to Fraulein Maria. Hede joined the family while the governess said grace. She then focused on her breakfast, knowing she needed some food to stop the bad mood she was starting to feel. It was something she and her brother had inherited from their father. Kurt and the other children too, became grumpy if they didn't eat regularly.

Once her brain was functioning, she looked around the table as they were eating, relishing the fact that the children were so happy. The governess was concentrating on Gretl, helping her with her food and coaxing her to finish the sausage.

Georg was behind the newspaper, and each time he grunted, he gripped the newspaper harder until his knuckles were entirely white. His hands shook slightly, presumably from the rage he was feeling. He was reading something that displeased him though Hede was entirely at a loss about what was troubling him.

Hede looked across the table and she caught Fraulein Maria staring at Georg with a concerned look while he read. She was so distracted that Gretl tugged on her arm for several seconds before it broke her reverie. It appeared Hede wasn't the only one worried about what was happening to him, though Hede thought maybe Maria was preoccupied about how his bad mood could affect the children.

"Father, could you help me with the model boat? There's a part I don't know how to put together, " Friedrich asked suddenly.

Georg lowered the newspaper, showing his tormented face and his scowl, clearly bad-tempered. "No," he snapped, full of anger.

Friedrich's eyes were wide, as a flash of fear crossed his face. The children were taken aback by their father, and their governess was looking at him with a disapproving gaze. Hede was ready to say something, but her brother was faster.

"I'm very sorry, Friedrich," he said tenderly, giving him an apologetic smile, full of remorse. "I didn't mean to snap at you, it was out of place. I was thinking about unpleasant things." He folded the newspaper, leaving it on the corner of the table. Friedrich's face relaxed and he nodded, accepting his father's apologies.

"Today I can't, but I promise you, we will finish the boat together after the party."

Hede exhaled the breath she had been holding. He had almost thrown away all the improvements he had accomplished with the children, but Georg had known how to fix it before it was too late. The children resumed their chatting as if nothing had happened, and Fraulein Maria lost her disapproving look.

Georg sipped his coffee slowly, his attention drawn to the governess, seemingly unaware that he was transfixed, watching her as she giggled with Louisa. His lips twitched slightly like he was trying not to laugh too. When Fraulein Maria cocked her head to answer Liesl's question, Georg averted his eyes from her quickly to his plate before she could catch him.

Focusing on his coffee, he cleared his throat several times until the governess looked at him. He met her eyes briefly, before looking at the children, speaking in a casual voice.

"Fraulein, I think the children should take the day off from their studies. They've earned it, and I want them completely rested for tomorrow."

The children were thrilled with their father, exclaiming a multitude of thanks at the same time. The governess hushed them, smiling, after several squeals of Gretl.

"We'll practice the surprise for your guests, sir." Fraulein Maria replied, fidgeting with her napkin. Hede noticed that she too looked at the children rather than at Georg.

"I think that's a marvelous idea, Fraulein," he finished his coffee and put down the cup, winking at the children. He glanced at the governess while she dabbed her mouth with the napkin, but when she looked up he looked away again.

Hede couldn't comprehend why, when they talked to each other, they avoided each other's eyes, though, when no one was looking, they stole glances. She didn't know if they had been always behaving like this or if it was something new. Whatever it was, there was a story behind them. She decided to push away her thoughts and think about it when she could figure out what was going on.

"A surprise? What surprise?" Hede asked, curiously.

"We are going to sing at the party," Kurt said, smiling happier now that he had finished his breakfast.

"But we can't tell you anything. It's a surprise." Liesl gave Hede a knowing smile which reminded her of Agathe when she was younger.

How Liesl had grown up in a few years! She had matured beyond her years, forced by her situation to look after her siblings, but she was still a teenager. Hede wondered if her brother had acknowledged that piece of information in his mind or if he still thought of Liesl as his little girl.

"Won't you tell your own aunt what it's about? Only a glimpse?" she tried with Gretl, smiling charmingly.

Gretl giggled, shaking her head. "We can't, Auntie. Even Papa knows nothing."

"How outrageous!" she exclaimed, feigning anger, while the children were happy to keep their secret between them.

"I thought exactly the same," Georg added, narrowing his eyes. "It's not like my children to be secretive."

"We're being secretive because it's a surprise, even for you." Louisa flashed a mischievous smile at her father, clearly enjoying the situation.

"You already know we are going to sing, however, you don't need to know which song," Liesl said playfully.

Marta chuckled at the situation and Georg raised his eyebrows, smiling and pointing a finger at her. "Aha! Marta, you tell me!"

The children looked at poor Marta who was trying hard not to reveal anything about their song. "Liesl told you, Papa. It's a song." Marta grinned, proud at herself for replying cleverly.

"I forgot, I thought you were going to dance!" He said teasingly.

"Oh, but we're going to sing and dance!" Friedrich pointed out.

"Sing and dance?" Hede asked again.

"Yes, at the same time, just like the cuckoo clock in the parlour!" As soon as he said those words he closed his eyes, knowing he had made a mess of it.

Louisa put a hand to her face, Liesl cocked her head dangerously and Brigitta gave him a scowl. The governess was trying to hide her grin, biting her lip, and Georg looked immensely pleased. He started to chuckle until he was laughing out loud, in a way that Hede had not seen in years. He seemed years younger, with all the wrinkles from his forehead disappearing and showing his dimples.

The children were infected with his laugh and Fraulein Maria was smiling too. For a moment she seemed mesmerized by Georg's face. She started to blush, then she clasped her hands together.

"Children, we have to practice because the party is tomorrow. If we finish early, you will have time to play whatever you want."

As if under a spell, the children left the table, eager to have free time. Fraulein Maria followed them, and Georg and Hede were finally alone. It was the perfect opportunity to talk to him, but he stood up, saying he had work to do urgently because he had pushed it away.

Hede left the dining room after her brother and went to the library, thinking about what to do to keep herself occupied.

* * *

Engrossed in her book, the laughter of the children broke her concentration. They must have finished practicing the song. Through the windows, she could see them playing and running. She closed the book, leaving it on the table, and decided to join them, tired of being confined in the room alone.

She walked towards the veranda and approached the governess, who was catching her breath and watching them from afar. Her hair was dishevelled and her cheeks were flushed from the exercise. When she saw Hede she smiled but returned her attention to the children. Hede felt it was the perfect time to get to know something about the young Fraulein who had captivated her nephews and nieces.

"Hello, Fraulein von Trapp," the governess said politely.

"Hello. And, please, call me Hede. It must be exhausting for you to always address me like that. We're in private and no one is around. If you're uncomfortable you can call me Fraulein in public and no one will know. It will be our secret. May I call you Maria?" she said conspiratorially.

The governess smiled again."Yes, Fraulein...Hede."

Gretl greeted her from afar, moving her little hand before running away from Brigitta, who was walking in slow motion to avoid catching her too soon. Hede sighed happily, the children were being children again after four years of sadness.

"I'm amazed how they're back to their old selves. You've done something magical here." she murmured to the governess, without taking her eyes away from the beautiful scenery.

"Oh, they're treasures."

"Not every governess would have said that." Hede raised an eyebrow. "Did you know what the little rascals did to the previous governesses?"

"I have an idea, yes. But they were only trying to get their father's attention," Maria replied, and Hede noticed an edge of protectiveness in her voice.

Hede took a step backward and tilted her head. "Did they pull pranks on you too?"

Maria laughed briefly and nodded. "Oh, yes. But it only lasted two days."

"Tell me your secret."

"There's no secret, I only gave them an opportunity and a little push in the right direction. They've suffered too much with...their mother's death" she said, saying the last words like she didn't dare to mention Agathe in her presence.

Hede chewed her cheek, thinking about it before she asked. "And what about my brother?"

"The...The Captain?" Maria asked, a little bit surprised by her question.

"Yes. When you arrived - how was he? Had he changed already?"

Maria was speechless, and she ran a hand through her hair. She seemed a little doubtful about what to answer and Hede understood it was because she was speaking to his sister.

"I'm only asking you this because I care deeply about him, and I'm glad to see that he has reconnected his relationship with them. He is back to the old Georg, the way he was with the children." She spoke sincerely, hoping that with her words Maria would open up.

"Well…he was...cold with them at first. But, one day we had an argument about it and I yelled at him," Maria blurted out and stopped, hesitant to continue.

Hede could imagine that her brother would not have taken that well. She realised Maria was a bit outspoken, blunt, and probably a little impulsive. Maybe that was what Georg needed. She gave her a nod of encouragement, and Maria continued. "I just pointed out that they were growing up and were hungry for his affection."

Hede could not hide her surprise; she recalled perfectly well, a similar argument she and Georg had had, and how it had ended so badly. She pondered why Georg had finally listened to Maria. Perhaps it was because it was the right time and he was ready to heal, or because he had found Elsa - though Hede was sure there was something wrong between them – or, maybe there was something about the young Fraulein that made him listen to her despite being yelled at as if he were a cadet. Whatever it was, it worked.

"I'm glad. I know my brother and he can be very stubborn when he wants."

Maria seemed to have a faraway look in her eyes as she said quietly. "Your brother was only coping with the pain in the only way he knew. It was true he was aloof at first, though he was suffering deeply. But I knew he cared for his children."

"How did you know that?" Hede asked, curious about her observations.

"When I met him, he smiled when Gretl failed to say her name. Someone who doesn't love his children can't find anything amusing about them," Maria said matter-of-factly.

She was stunned by her observation. This governess had understood Georg better than most of the people around him. Even more; she had known how to break his shell as no one had been able to. She had been a miracle to this family.

"Thank you, Maria, for everything you've done," she said honestly, and her voice cracked slightly with emotion.

Maria smiled modestly and shook her head. "I was only here on God's errand."

Before they could continue their conversation, there were excited shouts as the children greeted Max, who was walking towards them.

"Hello Hede, Hello Fraulein. I've just arrived from Salzburg and it was simply ghastly. I'm glad to be back at the villa. I know just the thing to revive me though: a bottle of fine Bordeaux from Georg's cellar." He smiled slyly, rubbing his hands.

Realising she couldn't continue talking with Maria, Hede chuckled to Max. "Georg is busy, but I'm sure you'll be able to find the wine. Pour a little for me too, because I'll be exhausted after playing with the children."

* * *

After lunch, Hede was in the garden, enjoying the peace and serenity of the beautiful lake. The children were in Salzburg with Max and Fraulein Maria. Apparently, Louisa and Brigitta's dresses didn't fit and they had to return to the dressmaker. Also, Gretl was adamant about having ribbons on hers, so in the end, Max had to take the seven children back to the city.

She loved her nephews and nieces as if they were her own children, but Hede was used to being alone, and after several hours playing nonstop, she missed the quietness and silence. Better to enjoy the precious time she had alone, she thought with a smile.

The colours of the sun were inspiring her and her fingers itched to be near a canvas and brush to paint the landscape. Tilting her head, she tried to remember the little changes from the sky so she could paint it when she returned to Paris. Suddenly, her ear caught music from afar, floating gently on the breeze. The notes were haunting and beautiful, played with considerable skill.

Hede knew the only explanation was that Georg was playing the violin. She could barely remember the last time he had played the instrument; it must have been when Agathe was still alive. Entering the villa, she followed the music until she stopped near his study. The door was ajar, so Hede looked through the gap. Her brother was in the middle of the room, with his chin on the violin and the bow in his right hand. He was completely engrossed in the music, with his eyes half closed, a lopsided smile on his face and enjoying himself immensely.

Deciding it was best to not disturb his concentration, she put a hand on the knob. She was closing the door when her brother stopped playing.

"Hede?" He said in a surprised tone.

"Sorry Georg" She smiled, apologetically, opening the door again to see him better. "I didn't want to disturb you. You play very well, better than I remembered."

He seemed embarrassed about her compliment and he left the violin on the mahogany desk, wiggling his fingers. "That's not entirely true. I've lost a lot of ability after so many years without touching the violin. I'm slower, the tips of my fingers hurt and I'm struggling with pieces I knew by heart."

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Georg. You're too much of a perfectionist"

"Hmph…" Georg ignored her answer, still wriggling his fingers. "I missed it. I only hope I can regain what I've lost."

"And you will, I'm sure. How are the preparations for the party going?" She closed the door and sat on the chair next to his desk.

"Horrible." He replied irritably. When she looked at him with a hard stare, he continued defensively, "Don't look at me in that way, Hede. You know I don't like parties. Furthermore, there are guests I really don't want to see."

He dropped himself into his chair, with his arms on the desk. He rested his forehead on his hands and sighed. Hede decided to take advantage of the fact that they were alone to finally speak openly with him.

"So…You told me on the phone that things with Elsa were complicated. What did you mean?" she asked inquiringly.

Georg groaned and closed his eyes, clearly reluctant to have this conversation. "Is this really necessary?"

"Of course it's necessary. It's obvious you need to talk to someone. I'm sure you won't do it with Max because he is close to Elsa."

Georg thought about it, rubbing his hand on his chin and scratching his incipient stubble. After a long pause he admitted, "I don't love her, Hede."

"I know." She replied to him, softly, smiling at his surprised face. "You're not the only one who notices things, Georg."

She was puzzled at his defensive reaction to her next words. "And I've realized how you look at her."

He fidgeted in his chair, frowning, and asked sharply. "What do you mean?"

"Georg," she rolled her eyes, exasperated about how blind he could be. "You don't look at Elsa with love and you don't act like you're in love with her."

He sighed, looking relieved at her words and she frowned. Was his brother hiding something? It would be difficult to find out because when she asked too many questions Georg always clammed up like an oyster.

"Are you happy with this arrangement, Georg? Does Elsa know how you feel?" she continued, putting her hands on the desk.

Georg stared at her and shook his head. Hede saw something shift in his eyes, and he said uncomfortably. "We've talked about it, and at first it seemed like a good decision. We both knew we were too old to fall in love again and ... after Agathe it seemed impossible. But I've realized I can't drag her into an unhappy marriage."

Hede nodded slowly, processing what he was telling her. "So what are you going to do?"

"Talk to her." He stood up and paced the room, taking a deep breath. "I'll talk to Elsa, but after the party. I have no option, even if I feel as if I have a rope around my neck with this situation. I must wait."

"Be gentle with her. Even if there's no love between you, she deserves an explanation," she added, though she knew Georg was an honorable man and she was sure he would end things properly.

He nodded, sighing, but he still seemed restless and troubled. Hede sensed his relationship with Elsa wasn't the only thing on his mind.

Recalling his reaction at breakfast when he read the newspaper she asked quietly, "Is it only your situation with Elsa that worries you, Georg?"

"No." He stopped walking next to the fireplace, sighing. "I worry about my future in this country, Hede. I tell you this because I trust you, but I fear that Germany wants me in the Kriegsmarine, and I can't accept it. I'll never work for the Nazis. But if I decline their offer..."

"But surely you can say no?" She approached her brother, resting a hand in his shoulder, concerned about him.

"They have no principles, Hede. And they may use my children...if necessary," his voice was tense with anger.

He continued, frustrated. "What makes it infuriating is that I've seen the guest list for the party and there are some men who support the Nazis. I left all the preparations to Elsa and it was a mistake. Now I can't take it back. I can't stand the thought of those people in my home."

Georg took her hand and squeezed it, smiling softly. "Don't worry, Hede. I'm working out how to deal with all this," he reassured her.

"Of course I worry, Georg!" she exclaimed.

"Hede, you'll just have to trust me on this." He replied firmly, leaving no room for discussion, and kissed her hand before releasing it.

She sighed, knowing there was nothing to do. She decided to ask him about Maria. "Only one more thing, Georg - do you have any kind of problem with the governess?"

"What?" he asked abruptly. "Why on earth would you ask me that?" he was appalled by her question.

Hede bit her cheek. She wasn't going to reveal what she had heard the night before or tell him how she had observed how awkward they acted towards each other at breakfast.

Instead, she said, "Because you don't look at her when you speak, and if you exchange words with her you behave like a snob."

"A snob?" Georg sounded offended, and he snorted, crossing his arms over his chest. "You know me better than that Hede. How did you reach such a ridiculous conclusion?"

"It's the way, you behave towards her, in such a formal, off-hand way. You don't even look at her when you speak to her. Be nicer to her, Georg. She has helped you so much with the children, yet, you seem quite arrogant with her," she said matter-of-factly.

Hede could see the tell-tale wiggle of his fingers which she knew was a sign of his agitation. "I've never been a snob with Fraulein Maria..." he muttered more to himself, frowning.

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation. Elsa appeared holding a list.

"Hello Hede. Georg, I need your help. Are you busy?" she put a hand on her hip, giving him a look. Georg nodded, knowing there was no escape.

"I should leave," Hede said, deciding to go back to the lake and wait until her nephews and nieces returned from Salzburg.

Before leaving the study, her brother called her again, and he looked at her for some seconds as if he was struggling with something, in silence, before he spoke again. He cleared his throat uncomfortably. "I'm sorry, Hede."

Hede didn't need to ask him about what he was apologizing for, even if Elsa was puzzled. She knew he was sorry, for the way he behaved towards her when he had been overwhelmed with grief and anger. He was sorry for pushing her away when she tried to approach him. He was sorry for not calling back, for shouting at her, for making her leave the villa when she wanted to stay, for not being her little brother but a complete stranger to her. He was sorry for everything. She could see the remorse in his eyes, and again, as she did on the phone, she could only say one thing.

"Forget it, Georg," she said, giving him a full smile. She was just glad to have her brother back. Everything else could be forgiven.

Hede couldn't stop thinking about her conversation with Georg. His words kept turning around in her head. She could see why he was so troubled about many things. While the situation with the Nazis was very worrying, she knew he was a master strategist – and he had several medals to prove it. She completely trusted her brother to find a way to deal with his Nazi problem. Although she was fearful for him she reminded herself that as yet, the Anschluss had not happened.

His more immediate problem was dealing with Elsa. That was a real mess, with expectations high that he would be announcing their engagement at the party. She agreed with Georg; he had to talk with Elsa soon. Hede only hoped Elsa would understand and that they could part on friendly terms.

* * *

During dinner she was distracted from Georg's troubles when she overheard a conversation between Max and the children about their father when he was younger, and she laughed.

"Max, you know nothing. I had to deal with a little Georg and believe me, that's heroism. He always seemed to be in trouble." She gave her nephews and nieces a knowing smile, with a twinkle in her eyes.

"Aunt Hede, could you tell us a story about when he was little?" Louisa asked mischievously. The other children chorused their approval, overriding their father who was rolling his eyes and shaking his head in protest.

Hede thought about it until she remembered an anecdote. "When your father was about six years old he used to go exploring in the garden alone, searching for "treasures", as he said. Once we found him with his head stuck between two thin iron bars from an old gate. His ears were too big so he couldn't take his head out. Eventually, Frau Schmidt had to spread butter all over his face so that we could release him."

The children burst out laughing, picturing the scene and delighted to think of their very dignified father being full of mischief. Even the governess was chewing her lower lip, suppressing her laughter.

Though he tried to look defiantly at his sister, his ears were red with embarrassment.

"It was only one time," he grunted.

"Well..." Hede tilted her head, teasing her brother further. "And what about when you took my paints? You used it on the dog and he spread green tracks all over the villa. Mother was horrified."

"That was an accident." The flush was extending from his ears to his cheeks.

"Was it also only an accident when you climbed a tree with Werner and you couldn't get down?" she added casually, looking at her nails.

"Hede, I really don't think the children need to hear all this," he warned.

"Or when you changed the flour with..." she continued, raising an eyebrow.

"Hede!" Georg repeated in a clipped tone, with his face a shade of red she had never seen on him.

The children were laughing harder, imaging their father pulling pranks and getting into trouble. Max too, was entertained with her tales, probably storing the information for use later when he needed to persuade Georg about something. Fraulein Maria was muffling her laughter with her hand, and even the Baroness was smiling. Only Georg was uncomfortable.

Hede relented, finally taking pity on him, "Alright, my lips are sealed."

Georg looked relieved, although it only was for a second before she added, "Giorgio," using his old nickname.

Giggling from the end of the table, the governess couldn't stifle her laughs.

"Fraulein!" he growled, hoping to stop the laughter, though it sounded more like a plea.

"Sorry, Captain, I...ah...only found it amusing. I had imagined you were a very disciplined little boy who never got in trouble," Maria said, trying to be serious.

"I'm glad you find it so funny," he said dryly. "But tell me Fraulein, were you the perfect example of quietness and decorum?" he asked pointedly.

"No, I wasn't. I used to be restless, wanting to explore everything everywhere. But I never had my face stuck between iron bars."

"As I said, it was only once! Have you never done embarrassing things?" he smiled dangerously.

"Not that I can recall," the governess replied, evasively, starting to blush as he turned the tables on her.

"Liar! Of course, you have," Georg said mercilessly, though he was tantalizingly her and there was no trace of anger in his voice. He pretended to ponder a random thought. "For example, you've never danced with imaginary partners?"

Hede felt like she was in a tennis match, with the rest of the table in silence, watching their interaction. It was as if the two of them had forgotten there were others present.

"Maybe, but as I said, I never had my face stuck and of course I never had problems going down from a tree," she fired back. Now her cheeks were fully flushed.

"O-ho, but I suspect your childhood was full of scraped knees and torn dresses, not to mention sliding down banisters and prying into forbidden rooms. And I am sure you were always late for everything," he speculated, amused at her rosy cheeks.

He continued his teasing. "And not just your childhood, I wonder what tales the good Sisters at Nonnberg could tell us?" he asked slyly, raising an eyebrow. "Didn't you yourself tell me when you arrived, how much trouble you were at the Abbey?" He looked inordinately pleased at her red cheeks, though she remained silent.

Finally, Georg smiled tenderly at her and the governess returned the smile. Hede deduced they had talked and sorted their differences because the tension she felt yesterday was gone.

There was a change in the air, with them still staring at each other and suddenly everything made sense; Hede realised, stunned, that they were attracted towards each other. That's why they behaved so awkwardly with each other, they were both obviously fighting their inappropriate feelings. Things were far more complicated than Hede had initially realised. She didn't know what to make of the situation.

All of sudden, there was silence. Hede noticed that the children looked fascinated and amused, Max looked intrigued, and the Baroness appeared uncomfortable. As if realising they had gotten carried away with their taunting of each other and had given away something best kept hidden, Maria looked embarrassed and uneasy, while Georg's austere mask slipped back over his face. He fixed his eyes on his plate, focusing on eating again.

In order to ease the tension, Hede started talking with the children and acting as if nothing had occurred, until everyone was engaged in the conversation about the party. Georg didn't steal more glances at Maria, and Maria made herself busy with the children, never looking at her brother. But Hede's thoughts were in churning.

Later, she went with the little ones to the nursery, after their request of a story. She read their favourite tale and tucked them in with Maria's help. She decided to retire to her bedroom and rest, tomorrow was the party and she wanted to be alone and think about the discoveries she made that day.

For Hede it was crystal clear that Georg and Maria were bewildered by their feelings for each other. It was awkward and inappropriate, especially since Georg was supposed to be courting Elsa. But all the hidden looks, the tense conversations, and most of all, the teasing had revealed their mutual attraction. Hede had been slower noticing it because she thought at first that Georg's wish was to marry Elsa.

She sighed uneasily. Georg was certainly correct when he had said on the phone that it was complicated.

If Hede only needed one day to recognise what was happening between them, she wondered if Elsa and Max had noticed too. Analyzing Elsa's behaviour this evening and the way she clutched his sleeve when Maria was in the parlour, she concluded that Elsa suspected the attraction. The sparkles and fire that ignited whenever Georg and Maria looked at each other certainly didn't appear between Elsa and Georg.

Hede felt a pang in her chest; as her brother had said it was a mess. Considering the situation, with Georg courting the Baroness and intending to marry her - even if love wasn't part of the equation - she felt bad for Elsa. People assumed that tomorrow they were going to meet the future Baroness von Trapp, the sophisticated woman whom the Naval hero wanted to propose marriage to. But now the three of them were entangled in a love triangle.

And what about Maria? The postulant had arrived at the villa with the objective of being the temporary governess for the children until she took her vows. But now she was probably confused about her emotions and in turmoil about her future. Hede didn't know if they had accepted their attraction, or if were intent on denying their feelings. Whatever it was, Hede knew she had to wait patiently to answer her endless questions.

Tomorrow was going to be an interesting day.

* * *

Thank you every much to everyone who has read, reviewed, favourited and followed this story. Your kind words mean the world to me!

This chapter was an interlude before the party. Next station, the grand and glorious party!

Special thanks to bloomandgrow. Thank you very much, again!

I don't own TSOM.


	3. Chapter 3

On the day of the grand and glorious party there was a constant buzz in the air. Hede watched the preparations with interest. The maids had been working since sunrise under Frau Schmit's orders and Franz was preparing the cars to pick up some guests with his usual sour face. The children were too excited after practicing the song again, so Maria made them play in the garden until they were physically exhausted. Georg was irritated and locked himself in his study, claiming he had work to do. Hede perceived his mood was a consequence of reading the newspaper. She decided to give him some space; she knew when he was bad-tempered he needed some time alone.

Max kept Hede entertained after discovering Georg's most expensive wine. He was gleeful that he had been able to find the cellar's keys, so they ended up on the veranda, drinking half of the bottle and sharing stories about the past. For a moment Hede was tempted to ask Max about his thoughts about Elsa and her brother, or about the governess, but she thought better of it. She didn't want to involve other people even if Max was his best friend. She wanted to protect Georg, not to make his situation a source of juicy gossip.

Lunch passed quickly, with the children chattering about dances and parties. Elsa left the table, declaring that she needed to start preparing herself for the ball, and Max went directly to his bedroom to rest. Georg's mood had improved during lunch and Hede relaxed after hearing his laugh several times; the dark cloud around him had faded thanks to the children's happiness. In the end, even Hede was infected with their enthusiasm for the party, despite her concerns about Georg.

* * *

Hede looked at her reflection in the mirror and smiled. She felt beautiful with her pale yellow dress. It still fitted her, showing her natural curves. After checking that her light makeup was still in place, she left her bedroom, going downstairs and admiring the decorations for the party. She glanced at the Austrian flag and felt worried about her brother. Though she admired his patriotism and love for his country, the current situation and it's implications for Georg concerned her. The guests would see the big flag that clearly showed his opinion about the political situation. She only hoped that Georg wouldn't get in trouble by sharing his views.

She walked into the hall and she saw her brother frowning, walking through the ballroom and stopping at the open French doors. The Baroness was talking with Frau Schmidt about last minute rearrangements. She looked spectacular in a gold dress. Hede approached Georg and he stopped dead in his tracks.

"You look wonderful, Hede," he complimented her, still scowling.

"Stop frowning or you will have wrinkles sooner. Relax." She adjusted his slightly crooked Maria Theresian cross. "There. And behave yourself tonight, Georg. I'm concerned about you."

"Thank you. Don't worry, Hede. I'll be the perfect host." He gave her a charming smile.

"It's not your hosting that worries me..." she mumbled, more to herself, putting a hand on his jacket and smoothing out the lines.

The children came into view after crossing the garden which connected the courtyard from behind. The governess was following them, wearing a traditional floral dress which suited her. The children greeted her and Georg happily, excited about being at such a grand party. Most of them couldn't even remember when their house had hosted such an event before. Hede laughed when Kurt complained about his jacket, giving his governess a scowl that reminded her of her brother.

She noticed that Georg had his eyes fixed on the courtyard as though it was the most fascinating thing in the world. At first, Hede thought he was looking at the children, but he had a wistful smile and she saw with concern that he was staring entirely at the governess. She was sure that even Gretl had noticed how smitten he was with Maria!

Franz appeared at the ballroom doors, with a dour face. "The guests are arriving, sir," he stated before leaving again.

"Georg?" Elsa said, walking towards them. "Georg?" she said again, when he still looked far away, gazing at the courtyard.

"Georg!," Hede murmured urgently near his ear, and he smiled sheepishly, turning to Elsa and offering his arm.

Hede followed them and waited patiently in the middle of the hall greeting every guest she recognized. Many guests were delighted to see her after several years and commented on how surprised they were that Georg was finally holding another party. Hede could tell they were speculating about his relationship with Baroness Schraeder but she politely deflected any leading questions about it. She chatted with Baroness Lehner while she longed for Max to arrive because he was the only one she really knew well. There were people already dancing in the ballroom, with the orchestra playing waltzes, while the rest of the guests were still arriving.

There was one man who drew Hede's attention because of the way he gazed with disapproval at the Austrian flag after greeting Baroness Schraeder. His pale skin and black moustache increased his unfriendly features. Her gut instincts told her she had to be careful with that man.

"You look stunning," Max said, behind her.

She turned and smiled at Max. "Thank you. You don't look bad at all. I was waiting for you, I don't know half of these people."

"Then you're lucky to have me here. Shall we get some champagne?" Max extended his arm politely and Hede took it, letting Max lead her to the ballroom.

She still was amazed at how beautiful the ballroom was. After being completely covered by dust for years, the chandeliers were now glittering. With proper cleaning, the gold panelling framed the beauty of the paintings on the wall. It was such a contrast to the last time she had seen the ballroom. Without proper care, it had been abandoned, just as Georg had seemed to have abandoned his life.

It also reminded Hede of when Agathe was alive and Hede had attended their parties. Baroness von Trapp had been the perfect hostess, charming and sweet, completely loyal to the ones she trusted. Hede had had a good relationship with her, and she had liked her very much from the moment they were introduced. Everyone had loved her... most especially Georg. She could still recall the tender way he used to look at her. Hede was sure it had pained him to open the doors of Agathe's favourite room again, but now there was new fresh air in his life blowing away the sadness and grief. It was good to see him moving on.

While Max was looking for the champagne flutes and Hede waited for him, she overheard a conversation near her that made the hairs on her neck stand on end.

"I suppose you noticed the obvious display of the Austrian flag in the hallway?" The man with the moustache was speaking to another man, with evident disapproval.

"Yes, von Trapp is known for sharing his opinions with grandiosity, Herr Zeller," the man with glasses replied with venom.

"One day he'll understand that serving to Hitler is an honor." Herr Zeller said with an air of superiority and menace. "And if he refuses, well..."

Hede didn't catch the rest of the conversation because the men moved to the other side of the ballroom but she felt chilled by their words. Max returned with two champagne flutes and offered her one, smiling. With her heart pounding furiously and feeling dizzy, she took the flute and took a long gulp of champagne. She needed to warn her brother.

Max raised his eyebrows, surprised at her behaviour. "Hede, are you feeling well? You look pale."

"I need to speak with Georg," she whispered, clutching the flute.

"Well, he was talking to Elsa. Has something happened?" Max asked, sipping his champagne.

"Oh, no!" Hede reassured Max, smiling as casually as she could. She wanted to be careful just in case someone was near them, eavesdropping. "I have doubts about the table arrangements."

Max gave her an odd look, probably not believing her explanation, but he didn't say anything. Hede scanned the room, trying to find her brother until her eyes found his dark brown hair, moving towards the courtyard. Hede excused herself to Max, leaving the flute on the table, and crossed the ballroom while the guests started to dance the Laendler.

She arrived at the French doors and stopped, stunned. What she saw would be imprinted in her mind for years to come. Her brother was in front of Maria, extending his arm and offering her his gloved hand. He had a playful look on his face, while Maria looked surprised and slightly self-conscious. Hede watched as he took her smaller hand into his bigger one before they started to move their feet in unison, following the music, with the children watching them. They danced gracefully as if they had been born to do it together, with Georg leading her through the courtyard.

Hede's eyes were transfixed by the pair. There was something magical that emanated from their dance, an energy she could feel and made her vibrate. They were oblivious to the world, immersed in the Laendler, moving their bodies perfectly, in complete harmony.

While the music continued, the governess danced around Georg as he clapped. He didn't take his eyes from her, only lowering them for a moment to look at her exposed legs. Hede noticed that Georg wasn't looking at her just lustfully, as he danced around her. No, something was radiating from his blue eyes and it wasn't only physical attraction; it was tenderness, it was fondness, it was affection. Hede hadn't seen him look like that for four years. She wondered if he was even aware of it himself.

When Georg reached for Maria's hand over his shoulder, he had a blissful little smile on his face. Hede could tell he was enjoying himself immensely, as he hadn't done since Agathe's death. Maria's face was serious, probably remembering how close they would become in a couple of steps, staring at his back, a little unsettled.

Hede was mesmerised, realising that the dance was allowing them to express their secret attraction to each other without them being aware of it. Each step they took seemed to strip away the façade they each put up to the world.

Finally, they got closer and closer, until they held their hands above their heads in a perfect arch. Georg lost his playful smile, and his gaze was completely transfixed by the governess' face, looking at her with longing. Maria was staring at him like he was the only man in the world.

The force of their connection was so powerful that Hede's breath caught and she felt as if her heart stopped for a second. Only at that moment did she really understand their behaviour towards each other. It wasn't just attraction. Hede realised with shock that her brother was irrevocably in love with Maria, and she with Georg. She was holding her breath because she feared that with the intensity of their gazes they would eventually kiss.

Hede noticed someone next to her, and she gasped, appalled when she realized it was Elsa. Since when had she been there? How much had she witnessed? If Hede had seen what had radiated from their dance, she was sure the Elsa had seen it too. She took some steps towards the children and looked back at the pair just when the governess, abruptly, released her hand and stepped back from Georg. She was clearly distressed after their encounter, no doubt overwhelmed and confused by the feelings she was unable to hide. Her cheeks had a dark shade of red coloring her skin.

Hede could see her brother was bewildered and confused about why Maria had suddenly stopped their dance. His eyes still were locked with hers, with his lips slightly parted. She had never seen him so still in her life.

"I don't remember anymore," Maria said with anguish, while Georg was glued to his spot.

"Your face is all red!" Brigitta pointed out, breaking their reverie.

Fraulein Maria placed her hands on her flushed cheeks. "Is it?" She breathed, without taking her eyes from Georg's face. "I don't suppose I'm used to dancing."

Her brother curled his lips into a tender smile.

"That was beautifully done. What a lovely couple you make" the Baroness said casually, though Hede could detect some malice in her tone.

The tension in the room could be cut with a knife with Elsa's words. Immediately the demeanor of Georg and Maria changed, as if suddenly becoming aware of everyone else, and that they had revealed far too much of their hidden feelings for each other.

Her brother changed the subject abruptly, and the governess was trying to compose herself, talking about the surprise the children had planned.

Hede decided to go back to the ballroom and make sure that no one had seen the dance between Georg and Fraulein Maria. She breathed a sigh of relief after scanning the room; miraculously the guests had been too occupied dancing and drinking and no one was looking in their direction.

What was her brother thinking? He had to talk with Elsa to sort their problems, not to dance with the governess, in front of half of Salzburg. Most of the guests thought he was going to propose marriage after the party. It would have been a scandal if someone had witnessed Captain von Trapp with the governess in that situation.

She decided to go back to the ballroom and look for Max. When she found him, she took the flute, taking some sips of champagne. Max was talking to her, though she wasn't really listening; she was processing the fact that Georg had fallen in love again. He deserved to be happy, after all, he was only in his forties and had suffered a lot since he lost the Navy. However, Hede was scared about the situation because Maria was a postulant who wanted to pledge her life to God, she was twenty years younger than him, and, although Hede didn't care about it, Maria was also from a different class.

Hede wondered if her stubborn brother had admitted to himself that he was in love, or if he was fighting his feelings for Maria. Whatever the answer she couldn't find out because the governess was at the door, catching the guests' attention.

"Ladies and gentleman, the children of Captain von Trapp wish to say goodnight to you." Maria's voice echoed through the ballroom.

Everyone moved to the hall, eager to see the Captain's children perform. Glad of the distraction from her concerns, Hede crossed the foyer until she was next to Max, looking at the stairs. The children descended singing and dancing, and she smiled lovingly. Just as Max told her earlier, they had beautiful voices. How proud Agathe would be of them! Hede laughed as the music continued, noticing how the lyrics fit perfectly. She laughed harder when Liesl asked Georg to taste her first champagne, knowing his answer would be no even if he was amused with her line, chuckling. Like everyone, her brother was focused on the show, though she noticed that his eyes shifted back to the governess several times. Worryingly, Hede saw that Elsa seemed to notice how Georg's eyes kept being drawn to Maria.

Maria was next to the pillar, watching the children's show closely. It was easy to see how proud she was of them when the song ended. After they went to their rooms, some people approached Maria to congratulate her. Georg again looked sideways at her, but it was obvious to Hede that he was trying to act as if nothing had happened in the courtyard.

Max took the governess's arm, approaching her brother, the gleam in his eyes showing that he was plotting something. "Georg, you won't let this girl get away. She must join the party."

"No, really I..." Fraulein Maria said, trying to go away. She looked self conscious and awkward.

"Georg, please." Max smiled at Georg.

Hede already felt on edge with all the tensions swirling between her brother, Elsa, and Maria. Max certainly wasn't helping things by the determined way he was trying to coax Maria into staying. Just when Hede thought that things couldn't get worse, her brother shocked her.

"You can if you want to, Fraulein." He pretended indifference, but Hede wasn't fooled. She had a feeling he was going into defensive mode. After realising he had given away far too much of his feelings for the governess he was trying to deny anything had occurred in the courtyard. She watched him with a mix of despair and frustration as he turned back to the guests.

The Baroness was staring at Georg, baffled and annoyed that he had accepted to have "a governess" at her party. Maria was puzzled and ill at ease, clearly not pleased with Max's idea. She was also uncomfortable under Elsa's gaze, and no doubt hurt by the off-hand way Georg was barely acknowledging her. Hede knew she had to intervene before they continued making a mess of everything. Her brother was talking with Baroness Lehner, so she spoke to Max.

"Max, I'm sure that Fraulein Maria wants to check on the children." she gave Max a half smile, hoping he would notice the subtly raised eyebrow as a signal to leave Maria alone.

The governess sent her a grateful smile, looking at first relieved, though it didn't last.

"Nonsense; they're already in bed and probably sleeping. I insist, you will be my dinner partner." In an undertone so that the others couldn't hear he added to Hede, "This is business."

Then catching the butler's attention he instructed him, "Franz, set another chair for Fraulein Maria."

Hede rolled her eyes, why men didn't notice obvious signals? She was at a loss about how to rescue the situation. Maria looked desperate to get away and Elsa was getting angrier with each word, her eyes were practically boring a hole in Georg's neck. Hede decided she had better intervene with her brother.

"Georg," Hede hissed to Georg.

But instead of paying attention to Hede, he nodded to Franz and resumed his conversation. Hede sighed, closing her eyes for a second, feeling frustrated and angry with Georg. She knew he was putting up his mask of the perfect Baron in front of everyone, and she could understand he was collecting himself after what had transpired in the courtyard, however, brushing aside the governess without having the decency to look at her eyes seemed disrespectful and hurtful to Maria. Poor Maria was probably dreadfully confused by his behaviour. Only minutes ago he had been looking at her with such tenderness. On top of that, the governess was being forced to attend the dinner when she was clearly distressed.

"I'm not suitably dressed and I don't have anything for this special occasion." Maria pleaded with her eyes to Hede for an escape.

"Also, Fraulein Maria looks a bit tired after being all day with her charges," Hede added, stressing the word tired and hoping Max would notice it.

But he didn't. "I'll make sure Georg gives you tomorrow off, and I'm sure you have one dress that fits Fraulein Maria," Max replied, and Hede had the impulse of smashing his shoe with her heel.

Georg turned back again, and for the first time in the entire conversation, he looked at the governess. "You can change if you want, Fraulein. We'll wait for you." It was clear he didn't really think what he was saying. Had he listened to a word they said?

Maria was distressed and Hede understood why; she already felt uncomfortable with the situation and the Baroness was already looking at her with anger, clutching Georg's arm like she did several nights before. If she added the way her employer was behaving towards her, it was a miracle Maria hadn't run from the villa straight to the Abbey.

Hede watched Maria going upstairs and decided to follow her. However, when she was about to move, Herr Zeller approached her brother so she decided to stay. She feared what that man wanted from Georg. She caught them in the middle of their conversation.

"Oh, come on Baron, would you have us believe that Austria alone holds a monopoly on virtue?"

Hede knew what that man was trying to do. He wanted to provoke her brother and knowing how well she knew Georg it was easy to see that he had succeeded. Austria was a sacred topic for Georg. Being a decorated Naval hero, she didn't expect any less from him. Herr Zeller continued with his comments, and she saw how Georg's neck pulsed with anger. She fidgeted with her fingers, wishing the man would stop his venomous remarks. She wasn't the only one; Max was clearly uncomfortable with the man's presence.

Georg pressed his lips, ready to fire back. "If the Nazis take over Austria, I have no doubt that you will be the entire trumpet section." He was composed although he was furious.

He turned back, and when she thought everything had finished, Her Zeller added, "You flatter me, Captain."

Her brother stopped dead in his tracks and looked back at him, smiling sarcastically.

"Oh, how clumsy of me, I meant to accuse you."

Georg finally left the hall and Hede sighed in relief. She put a hand on Max's arm, remembering what she was going to do, but she wanted to make sure that another encounter like that didn't happen again.

"Max, please, keep an eye on Georg if someone like Herr Zeller approaches him. I'll be back in a second."

Hede went upstairs to the governess' room. When she was going to knock on the door she heard Elsa's muffled voice, and she frowned. What was she doing in the governess room?

"Now, where is that lovely little thing you were wearing the other evening?"

Hede's heart sank. She was concerned about how the conversation might develop, now that it was so obvious to Elsa that Georg was attracted to the governess. She knocked softly, waiting. The door opened and Elsa was surprised to find her there. Next to the bed stood Maria, flustered and anxious, wearing her chemise, with the dress she had worn that night in her hands, clutched against her chest like a shield.

Elsa had a disapproving face, she obviously wasn't happy that Hede was there. However, Hede was starting to care for Maria, and she feared that Elsa was rather jealous after their dance. She didn't want any kind of problem between Maria and Elsa. Whatever conversation was needed, it had to be between Elsa and Georg.

"Hede." Elsa greeted her, politely, trying to disguise her emotions. "I was helping Fraulein Maria to find a suitable dress for dinner."

"I'll help you then," Hede said, taking some steps towards Maria.

"I think that's unnecessary, Hede," Elsa said icily.

"We will find it faster if we work together, don't you think so, Elsa?" Hede rested her hands on her hips, looking directly in her eyes.

For some seconds Hede felt she was in a silent battle with the Baroness. How difficult it must be for Elsa to watch how a man like her brother was so smitten with a "simple" governess. It was bad enough that he was attracted to Maria but how much worse it would be if Elsa realised he had fallen in love with her while he was supposed to be courting Elsa. But even if Elsa had reasons to be angry with Georg, Fraulein Maria had done nothing wrong. Hede didn't want to leave the governess alone, feeling quite protective about her. She didn't blink or flinch until the fire in Elsa's eyes disappeared, resigned.

"I'll better go downstairs and continue with my hostess duties." She smiled casually to them, before leaving the room gracefully.

Hede sighed softly, shaking her head slightly. Elsa had made a desperate move going to Maria directly, instead of talking with Georg. She stared at the governess, who was completely quiet, with an anguished look, and still clutching the floral dress.

"Are you all right, Maria?" she asked softly, worried about her.

"Yes..." she breathed, leaving the dress on her bed, gulping. She buttoned it up slowly. "As I said to Baroness Schraeder, I'm not sure I have anything suitable."

"Maria." Hede touched her shoulder until she looked at her. "You don't have to go to dinner if you don't want to."

The governess looked away, staring intently at the floor. She was nervous, clearly apprehensive about going downstairs again. It was such a contrast to the vivacious and unafraid Maria she had met in just two days.

"No?" she asked, with hope in her voice.

"No. You look a bit pale and quite tired. I'm sure that, even if the children are in bed sleeping, they will need you."

Maria chewed her lip, clearly uncertain, and she looked back to Hede, rubbing her neck.

"But...the Captain..." she protested feebly.

" You won't disappoint him just because you don't feel well. Georg will understand perfectly, Maria," Hede reassured her, smiling.

And more than you think. If you'll only know how much he cares about you. Just a look speaks volumes, she added in her mind. Hede wondered what was going through Maria's head. She must be in turmoil over her discovered feelings for Georg and how that would affect her desire to be a nun. Hede only hoped Maria could find peace and relieve her tormented mind. She waited until Maria seemed to be convinced.

"Thank you, Hede." she murmured, regaining some color back to her cheeks and feeling relieved.

"You're welcome, Maria," she said, before leaving her bedroom, going back to the ballroom.

When she arrived at the foyer she found Georg with his arms crossed around his chest, and looking at the Austrian flag. He was brooding, and that wasn't a good sign. Elsa wasn't around, so she decided to talk to him. Hede stood next to him. She raised an eyebrow, asking silently if there was something wrong.

"I'm fine," he said stiffly, though he couldn't fool her.

"Of course you are, Georg," she muttered, deciding not to touch any delicate subject in public, even if the guests who were near them were too far away to hear.

Georg cleared his throat and wiggled his fingers. He seemed to struggle with his thoughts until he finally asked. "Ah...Where's Fraulein Maria?"

Hede bit back a smile at his question. He was trying to keep his mask in place, but it was clear he was failing with her.

"She's tired, Georg. She has been working very hard for today, and she wanted to check on the children."

"Tired?" he repeated, with concern in his voice.

"Tired. Did you notice she was paler than yesterday?" she said, knowing perfectly well his answer. "Fraulein Maria wanted to rest, and I said you wouldn't mind."

"Of course she can..." he said tenderly, smiling briefly. "She has been working very hard with the children since she arrived at the villa. She only took several hours off one afternoon because she didn't feel well."

They fell in comfortable silence until Franz announced dinner was served. Next to the ballroom, there was a big dining room with large round tables. Hede was at the same table as Elsa, Georg, and Max. Fortunately, Her Zeller was at another table on the other side of the room, far away from her brother. With luck, he wouldn't bother Georg again with his impertinent comments.

They started the appetizer and Hede talked with Max, who was sat next to her. Finally, and expecting it, Max asked her about Maria.

"Where's the governess?" Max asked.

Hede took her glass and sipped before answering. "She had to check on the children, Max."

"Poor Fraulein Maria. I wanted her to be my partner at dinner!" he sighed dramatically.

"Another time, Max. I'm sure you will entertain yourself. Besides, you're in good company" she said, noticing how Elsa was looking at them.

"She also didn't have a proper dress for the party, poor Fraulein Maria" Elsa added, flashing a smile to Max.

"Well, it's a shame. She's like a breath of fresh air" Max replied.

"A breath of fresh air who will be cloistered forever in a couple of months. I'm sure she will make a fine nun," Elsa said, emphasizing the word nun and looking quickly at Georg, probably expecting a reaction from him.

Georg didn't flinch at Elsa's remark, however, Hede could see a flash of anger cross his blue eyes.

"It's her desire and we should respect that," Georg said firmly, leaving no room for discussion. He smiled at Elsa tensely.

To Hede's relief, Baron Kant had the perfect timing to ask a question of her brother and change the topic of the conversation, and they ended talking about parties in Vienna, new waltzes and some gossip.

Hede was bored when they were eating their dessert, a delicious sachertorte. The discussion of their favorite champagne seemed completely superficial. That's what she detested most about being aristocratic; how she had to feign she was interested when the only thing she wanted to do was to go home. Max was the only exception; he was always entertaining.

She had carefully checked on her brother while eating and she was surprised to find him composed. He was being the perfect host, making a casual remark when he had to, chuckling when the conversation allowed it, smirking if there was a witty comment. However, she noticed he was drinking more than usual. Only after several sips, she noticed every time he drank from his glass there was a shift in his eyes. It was brief, only a flash, but his eyes turned darker, with a melancholy air, and Hede knew every time he drank it was a way of restoring his façade.

Elsa was being charming as always. Even if Hede didn't know the woman, it was easy to see why people liked her. She knew how to draw attention but subtlely. She could converse about every kind of topic. She was intelligent, enchanting. Elsa could have any man she wanted. And, in spite of that, the man next to her was not interested in her. The Baroness knew that too because sometimes she rested her hand on his arm and it wasn't a natural touch. For Hede it seemed like she was reassuring herself that Georg was there physically, even if she had lost him.

Hede didn't like how things had gone in the governess room, but she felt bad for Elsa. She couldn't help it; it was part of her nature to see the good side of people. She hoped Georg could sort this situation before the night was over because it was getting out of control.

* * *

After some of the guests had left, they were in the parlour, having some refreshments. Hede was on the sofa with her brother, Elsa, and Max. The impresario was smoking a cigar and Hede was about to light a cigarette but she couldn't find a lighter. Georg put his hand in his pocket and offered Hede a silver lighter. She recognised the present that Agathe had given him a long time ago. She took the lighter with care, knowing how important it was to him and then gave back to him when she finished. Georg smiled at her and caressed the engraved G, before putting it back.

"I don't know why you keep going around with the lighter if you don't smoke, Georg." Baron Kant said, in a puff of smoke.

Elsa looked at Georg through her eyelashes "It's one of those things that Georg keeps to himself. It makes him more...mysterious and intriguing. That's why older...and young women find him so irresistible."

Hede found it interesting that he had never told Elsa why he always kept his lighter. She thought that, after two years, he had shared with the woman he intended to marry something so important to him.

"That's hardly true," Georg said calmly, but he wiggled his fingers briefly, probably uncomfortable at how she had emphasized the word young.

"I agree with Elsa, Georg." Baroness Heber added. "When you're in Vienna you go around the grand balls with a sophisticated air, brooding, even when Elsa forces you to dance. Yet, women everywhere admire you from afar" she laughed lightly.

"He agrees to dance because he's soaked in champagne" Elsa chuckled, giving him a smile before taking a drag. "Though sometimes he unexpectedly surprises you, and you find him...engaged in a dance." She gave a tinkle of laughter, and Hede could hear the pointed barb in her remark.

Georg gave her a forced smile but didn't answer. He was probably uncomfortable enough after what had transpired in the courtyard. Hede put a hand in his forearm and squeezed it. She knew the description they were giving of his brother wasn't the real Georg. Her brother had always hated to dance, but as he had told her once, a long time ago, for the right woman he could love things that he usually didn't like.

"Georg is full of surprises. He can dance, he can sing...And he has seven children with beautiful voices."

"Max!" he retorted, irritably.

Hede smiled, grateful that the charming sponge could shift the tense mood so easily. The small talk lasted until the rest of the night. Hede was very tired and was glad to say goodbye to the guests. After a night of rollercoaster emotions, a good sleep was necessary.

When the last guest left the villa Georg looked at Elsa with determination in his face.

"Elsa, would you like a night stroll in the garden?" Georg asked her softly.

Elsa was serious, probably knowing why he wanted to talk with her. She forced a smile, resigned, and took his offered hand.

"Give me some minutes. I would like to refresh a little if you don't mind."

"Of course." he kissed her hand lightly before releasing it.

Elsa left the hall graciously, going upstairs while he was looking at her and Georg sighed.

"You could have waited until tomorrow," Hede said.

"Probably, but she deserves an explanation. As I've told you before the party, I had already made my mind up, and I can't continue pushing this conversation away. " He shrugged, seeming nervous.

It was strange to see her brother nervous about something, but he was probably thinking about how to end things with Elsa as honorably as he could. She decided not to say anything about the dance, that could wait until tomorrow.

Hede remembered that when Georg was little and he was worried, the only thing that calmed him was her touch. She touched his cheek with love and he closed his eyes briefly before looking at her, relaxing under her touch little by little until his shoulders weren't tense.

"Good luck," she whispered, kissing his cheek and taking some steps back.

Her brother nodded, without moving from his spot. When she started up the stairs she caught a flash of something white on the table in the foyer. She went back down again and read the front of the envelope. In feminine, elegant handwriting, were the words Captain von Trapp. Hede's stomach dropped as she guessed it was from Maria. Recalling what had happened that night she feared the worst.

Georg was loosening his bowtie, ready to go to the garden, but Hede stopped him.

"Georg," she called.

"I'm tired, Hede, and I need to talk with Elsa." He spoke more firmly than he probably intended. He noticed that and smile apologetically, before continuing in a softer tone. "I'll wait for her outside. Tomorrow we'll continue this."

"This can't wait for tomorrow. Look at this," she raised her hand, showing him the envelope.

Her brother shrugged.. "I'm sure it's just a guest complimenting the party."

"No, it isn't. I think it's from Fraulein Maria."

* * *

Here it is, the grand and glorious party. I'm not happy with it, and probably I will never be satisfied with this chapter, but I hope you like it.

Thank you, again, for your lovely reviews. It means the world to me.

Special thanks to bloomandgrow, as always!

I don't own TSOM.


	4. Chapter 4

"No, it isn't. I think it's from Fraulein Maria."

"It can't be," Georg said, taking long strides until he was next to her. He took the envelope, reading the front.

He frowned and pulled out the note that was inside. Hede cocked her head so she could read it too.

_"Captain von Trapp:_

_May I please request a day off tomorrow to visit the Reverend Mother for personal matters. I'll return to the villa in the afternoon._

_Yours._

_Maria Rainer."_

Georg was bewildered by the letter. With his hand shaking slightly he read it several times. Then he folded the letter and put it into the pocket of his tailcoat, tapping the place where the note was several times, absorbed in his thoughts.

For Hede the letter seemed strange too. Maria seemed outspoken and fearless, yet she had decided to write a letter instead of talking to him. It looked like a way to avoid him.

"Very well," he muttered to himself.

"What's the matter, Georg?" Hede asked, touching his arm, trying to catch his attention.

"Nothing," he swallowed, giving her a forced smile.

Hede stared at him, and she could see a measure of fear in his deep blue eyes. Somehow she wondered if he was scared of Maria leaving the villa and not coming back.

"She's not going to leave forever, Georg. Not until September."

"I don't have any kind of problem with it. She has never taken any days off and she deserves it," he said, a little tersely, frowning. "As a matter of fact, I offered her a day off a week ago, but she refused."

Hede gave him a look, hoping that he would stop pretending around her. But her brother, in his typical von Trapp style, continued acting as if it didn't bother him. He raised an eyebrow.

"If she needs to speak with the Reverend Mother she can have a day off," he repeated curtly, fidgeting with his tailcoat. After combing his hair with his fingers, he took some steps back. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go. Elsa is waiting for me. Goodnight, Hede."

Hede shook her head, looking at him until he disappeared through the back door. He always did the same in his personal life; whenever there was something he feared or a situation he couldn't control, he withdrew and pretended indifference. She sighed. It was interesting how a Naval Captain, decorated several times, was completely lost and scared in matters of the heart. Anyway, the situation with Maria could wait. First he had to sort things out with Elsa before it was too late.

It had been an exhausting day, full of rollercoaster emotions and Hede's only wish was to have a good night's sleep. In her bedroom, she took off her dress and put on a nightgown. Turning the light off, she was ready to go to bed when her eyes caught a silhouette through the window. She approached and rested her forehead on the glass and narrowed her eyes, trying to identify the shadow she had seen. She saw her brother and the Baroness walking in the garden towards the gazebo, talking. She sighed regretfully and hoped that they could part in a friendly way.

Hede got into bed and covered herself with the sheet, closing her eyes with her thoughts churning. Was there a solution for her brother? Was it possible to have a second opportunity of loving someone deeply? Was it possible for him to have a future with a postulant who wanted to be a nun? Did Georg dare to try it, to risk his heart again, to do what no one expected from him?

Fortunately, she drifted to sleep before her mind continued asking endless questions.

* * *

Hede woke up feeling rested after an eventful night. It was later than when they usually had breakfast, but Frau Schmidt had orders to push breakfast one hour later to let people rest. She remembered that Georg had talked with Elsa last night and she wondered how everything had ended.

When she opened the door of her bedroom, ready to go downstairs, she saw Marta running through the corridor. Hede extended her hand to make her niece stop. Marta looked at her with her big eyes, taking her hand and clutching her fingers.

"Auntie Hede, I can't find Fraulein Maria. Do you know where is she?"

"Oh, schatzi. She has gone to the Abbey, but she will return this afternoon," Hede reassured her quickly after seeing her face full of concern.

"Why?" Marta frowned.

"She had something to do at the Abbey," Hede answered, caressing her hand with her thumb.

Marta looked down, staring at the floor when Gretl came running to them, opening her arms and hugging her waist.

"Auntie Hede, we can't find Fraulein Maria!" she scowled.

"She's gone to the Abbey," Marta said to her little sister.

"To the Abbey?" A voice came from behind. It was Friedrich, with his brother and sisters.

"Why?" Kurt exclaimed.

"When will she return?" Brigitta added.

Hede hushed them before they continued asking questions at the same time. "This afternoon."

The children looked at each other with fear in their eyes. It was easy to see how much they needed her. After Agathe's death, she could understand why they feared Maria's absence. To the children, Maria was more than a governess; she was like another mother.

"Come on, let's have some breakfast. I'm sure you're starving!" Hede smiled tenderly at them, and they returned the smile, though they were clearly still worried.

She took Marta and Gretl's hands, going downstairs and entering the room, waiting for Georg. Her brother appeared some minutes later, as always impeccably dressed, without a wrinkle in his dark navy suit and his hair combed perfectly. However, he still looked haggard, and it was obvious that he hadn't slept a wink. He sat down after greeting them and clasped his hands, looking at Liesl.

"Liesl, could you say grace please?"

Liesl nodded to her father and thanked the Lord. As they started breakfast, Hede saw how Liesl looked at her father several times with concern. Liesl was almost a woman, and she had probably noticed the changes in her father, and how his relationship with Maria was different from what was expected from an employer to an employee.

Hede was proud that despite his exhaustion and concern, Georg did a wonderful job trying to entertain the children. Breakfast wasn't the same without Maria, but somehow their mood improved thanks to Georg. Having their dear Papa back helped them to forget Maria's absence.

When they finished their breakfast, Georg told the children to play in the garden instead of studying. After a chorus of thank yous, her brother stood up from his chair and turned to Hede.

"Come with me to the study please, Hede," he said, before leaving the dining room. Hede followed his steps and entered his study, going to her favorite armchair and raising an eyebrow, waiting for him to start the conversation.

"I wanted to talk to you," he said. Instead of taking his usual seat, he sat next to her. "Last night I spoke with Elsa." He paused. "We're no longer courting."

He didn't continue at first, he lowered his head, in silence, and stared at his hands. "It was necessary, I know, though there's a part of me that feels bad for her."

Hede rested her hand in his and squeezed them, speaking in a soft voice. "You did the right thing."

Georg raised his eyes and gave her a smile. "Thank you."

"How did it go?" she asked, curious about their encounter.

"Elsa knew why I wanted to talk with her, she's a very intelligent woman. As a matter of fact, before I said anything to her, she was the one who ended our courtship."

"Really?" she said, surprised with how the conversation had turned out between them.

"At first she talked about my engagement present, she said several things that didn't make sense; a yacht for my bath, a fountain pen. Perhaps she was trying to delay the inevitable." he put a finger to his mouth, thinking. "But then, she stopped me when I said her name. She knew then that we had to face our situation and she very graciously ended our relationship."

"I see..." Hede said softly, knowing it must have difficult for both of them. "When will she go back to Vienna?" she wondered.

"She has already left for Vienna, with Max. I asked him to keep her company. He was surprised at first but Elsa will tell him the details. When he comes back I'll have to tell him everything. Franz took them to the train station. She wanted to leave as soon as possible." Georg stood up from his chair and going to the window. He rested his body against the wall, looking through the window, lost in his thoughts.

Hede understood why Elsa had decided to leave the villa so soon and she felt sorry for her. She was glad that Max was with her. She gazed at her brother and could see how his demeanor had changed since he had broken his engagement to Elsa. It was like the weight had lifted from his shoulders. His constant frown had disappeared, replaced by a more relaxed look.

She went toward him and gave him a smile. He returned the smile, though his eyes, which were normally brighter, had lost the gleam that he got back since she arrived in Aigen. Yesterday he had been tense, stiff, but he had a glow in his face every time he smiled. Now he just seemed...sad.

Suddenly, a squeal from Gretl playing outside broke the silence. Hede said quietly, "You should tell the children."

He cocked his head, frowning at her. "Why? They didn't know that I intended to marry her."

"Oh, Georg" she rolled her eyes. Her brother could be so blind sometimes. "I think they knew what your intentions were because you brought her to the Villa. Even though you didn't say anything in particular to them about her, you should still explain to them why she suddenly went back to Vienna."

Georg was pondering her words, looking away from her face. "You're right. They've had some complicated years with people going in and out of their lives. Perhaps I'll tell them later. Are you going back to Paris this afternoon?"

His question took her by surprise. She had almost forgotten that she had the train tickets for that afternoon. She decided to postpone her return to Paris, at least until everything at the villa was sorted.

"No, I'm tired and I'll wait some days," she said, noticing how he looked slightly relieved with her answer. Her brother would never say out loud that he needed her, but after knowing him all her life she could sense when he required her presence near him.

"And now, what are you going to do?" she asked softly, wondering what was going through his mind.

Georg looked uncertain and for once seemed at a loss. "I...well...I..."

Just when Hede hoped she would finally hear him admit his true feelings for Maria, several squeals broke their conversation. As much as she wanted him to open up about his feelings, the children didn't have a governess until that afternoon. It was better if they postponed the conversation until dinner, where they could talk without interruptions.

Georg had a frown on his face, looking worried as the noise from the children indicated something had happened. Hede touched his arm. "I'll go."

He smiled gratefully at her and nodded before she left the room. In the garden, she found Gretl crying with her little finger raised up. Friedrich was apologizing several times to her, while Louisa was trying to comfort her. When Gretl saw her, she extended her arms, clutching her skirt with her free hand and showing her finger to Hede.

"Aunt Hede, my finger hurts."

"What happened?" Hede wiped her tears away tenderly with her hand, caressing her cheek.

"We were playing and I fell and I don't know how but I bit her finger..." Friedrich was fidgeting, probably thinking about how previously, his father would be angry with them. Even if he knew his father wouldn't be mad today, old habits were hard to break and they still got nervous about such things.

"Don't worry Friedrich, I know you didn't do it on purpose." her nephew looked relieved with her statement. "Come on, let's put a bandage on it."

Hede took Gretl's free hand and went inside the villa, looking for Frau Schmit. In the kitchen she sat in a chair and put Gretl in her lap, examining her finger. It was only a small bite without blood, but she put the bandage on that Frau Schmidt gave her.

Gretl had stopped crying, and rested her head against Hede's chest, brushing her tears.

"Are you better?" Hede murmured in her hair before kissing it.

"Yes...but it still hurts a little, Aunt Hede"

"Don't worry Schatzi, you will feel better soon." Hede put a hand on Gretl's hair and caressed slowly, feeling how she was relaxing in her arms. She remembered a similar situation with her brother when she was ten, when the only thing that calmed him was her touch.

_Ten-year-old Hede was drawing little birds on a paper, concentrating _hard,_ when she heard a cry. Frowning, she dropped her pencil and walked out of her bedroom, trying to figure out where the cry came from. She went to the _nursery,_ and saw her five-year-old brother on the floor, crying, with a bleeding wound on his chin. He also had a long scrap on his knee. Their brother Werner was next to him, staring at the blood with his eyes wide._

_"Georg!" she ran to her brother, looking at the wound with concern. "What happened?"_

_"We were chasing each other, and he fell there." Werner pointed at the bed, where there was a sharp wooden part._

_"Don't cry, Georg, I'll bring mother!" Hede said, before running downstairs._

_Hede returned with her mother and Frau Schmidt, with a damp cloth in her hand. Werner was trying to comfort Georg, who was still crying, with his shirt stained with blood. Her mother exclaimed after seeing his wound, and Frau Schmidt put the cloth on his chin._

_"I had better call the doctor," their mother said, before leaving the nursery hurriedly._

_In the end, her brother needed one stitch on his chin. He sat in her lap while the doctor put the stitch in. He didn't flinch, only some fresh tears ran down his face. Her little brother always behaved bravely._

_"You were very brave, Georg," she told him after the doctor left, earning a watery smile from him._

_That night, when she was trying to sleep, she heard sniffles coming from the nursery. She went tiptoeing into the bedroom, knowing that if her mother found her walking through the hall when "bedtime is to be strictly observed" as she always told her, she would be angry. She opened the bedroom door quietly _where_ her brothers slept. Werner was sleeping soundly, but Georg was clutching the sheets, trying not to make a sound while crying._

_"What's the matter, Georg?" she whispered near his ear._

_"It hurts," he muttered, looking at her, brushing away his own tears._

_"Try to sleep, tomorrow you'll feel better." she gave him a little kiss on his cheek and returned to her bedroom._

_But when she was about to drift off to sleep, someone tugged her sleeve several times, whispering her name. Hede groaned and opened her eyes, turning to the source of the voice. Georg was looking at her with pleading eyes, resting his little hands on her arm._

_"Hede, I can't sleep. I've tried but I just can't." He emphasized every word._

_"Georg," she sighed_

_"I can't...please, Hede..."_

_Hede knew that when her brothers looked at her in that way, she couldn't resist it. They were her soft spot. She moved over, making some space for her brother, and Georg climbed into the bed, lying next to her. He was restless, tossing and turning until Hede stopped him. She finally did the only thing that really calmed him down: she stroked his hair. His eyes fluttered shut while she continued caressing his dark locks until finally, he drifted to sleep. She smiled, kissed his forehead and closed her eyes._

Gretl had her eyes closed and her breathing had slowed, fast sleep, while Hede continued stroking her hair. She smiled; Gretl was definitely her brother's daughter. Georg entered the kitchen, looking for Gretl, and smiled tenderly when he found her sleeping.

"Schatzi, Liesl told me that you've hurt your finger," Georg murmured, touching her cheek, while Gretl opened her eyes and blinked several times.

"Hello, Papa," she said drowsily. "Look, Papa."

Georg took her hand gently and kissed her little finger. "Better?"

"Yes. But Fraulein's Maria kisses are magical." She rubbing her eyes. "I miss Fraulein Maria, she always makes things better."

"Don't worry, she will come back soon and before you know it, you will be running through the mountains again and getting yourself soaked in the lake." he tapped her lightly on her nose, getting a giggle from Gretl. "I'll talk to Friedrich."

Hede smiled at Georg, happy to see that he remembered how Friedrich tended to blame himself every time something went wrong. Again, she thought about how Maria had changed everything in the villa and thanked God that she had rescued Georg from himself.

* * *

Hede played with the children after lunch. It was a strange ball game; each child was one number and when they threw the ball to another one they had to correctly say the number. But their minds were far away because they failed to say the right number and they were throwing the ball without energy. She could understand why; it was already six o'clock and Maria hadn't arrived to the villa yet.

"Auntie Hede, we're too tired" Kurt complained, without catching the ball when Hede threw it to him.

"What is the matter, my dear?" she said, putting an arm around his shoulders.

"Nothing," he muttered, looking at his feet.

Hede sighed and kissed his forehead softly. "Look, Frau Schmidt has brought some lemonade. Let's have some."

The children nodded without enthusiasm. They went to the table and sat in the chairs; Gretl sat in Hede's lap, with a scowl on her face. Georg appeared, whistling softly, and took one of the glasses, pouring some lemonade. He sipped several times until he noticed the sad faces of the children. Frowning, he put the glass down and looked at Louisa.

"What is the matter, Louisa?" he said, concerned that his vivacious daughter was so quiet.

Louisa shook her head, smiling a little at her father, in silence.

"Papa, where is Uncle Max?" Gretl asked.

"He's gone to Vienna. I think he will come back in a few days."

"To Vienna?" Liesl said, surprised at his answer."Normally when he goes away he says goodbye."

"Ah..." suddenly, Georg looked uncomfortable with Liesl's remark. "He had to rise early." He took a deep breath, before continuing. "Children, the Baroness has gone to Vienna."

"When will she come back?" Friedrich asked politely, though the rest of the children were trying not to look happy with the implications.

Georg shook his head. "She won't come back, Friedrich."

The children shared surprised looks between them and they smiled a little, but then tried to look serious again.

"Papa, when will Fraulein Maria come back?" Marta asked, shyly.

"I've told you this morning, Marta. She said in her letter that she would come back this afternoon," he added patiently, trying to reassure his children that the spirited governess hadn't left.

"What if she doesn't come back? It's already nearly dinner time and she hasn't arrived," Brigitta said, saying what the children feared.

"Why wouldn't she come back?" Hede said. "She deserves a day off, children. She's probably very busy catching up with the nuns."

"Anyway, in September Fraulein Maria will go back to the Abbey," Georg said, slowly. He looked at every one of the children, giving them a little smile. "But we will be okay."

There was an uncomfortable silence and Gretl turned in Hede's lap to look at her, throwing her little arms around her neck and hugging her.

"I want Fraulein Maria to stay forever."

Hede shared a look with her brother, who was trying to remain impassive.

"But she has to go back some time, Gretl," Hede whispered to her, and the little child shook her head, her lower lip trembling.

Georg stood up and took Gretl in his arms, lifting her and looking in her eyes.

"Do you love Fraulein Maria, Gretl?" he asked.

"Yes. Can't you make her stay?"

"Gretl," Georg said in a tender voice. "When you love someone you have to respect their desires. Fraulein Maria wants to be a nun, and we must respect her decision. Don't you want her to be happy?"

Hede had a feeling that he was saying that not only for the children's sake. His voice had cracked slightly in the end, and she understood he was saying that to reinforce to himself he had to respect her desires. Her heart ached for him. Only someone who loved deeply could wish the other one to be happy, even if that meant the other one would never be with that person.

He kissed Gretl's forehead, putting her back on the floor. "But September hasn't arrived. Don't be so sad, schatzi. And anyway, I can't make her do something she doesn't want to. Fraulein Maria is as free as a bird."

* * *

After an hour, Georg left for his study, claiming he was very busy, and Hede tried to entertain the children again. Their mood had improved a little after the announcement that Baroness Schaeder wasn't coming back, and the assurance that Fraulein Maria would arrive shortly. They were playing in the garden, singing about their favorite things when a melodic voice joined together with them. The governess was walking towards them, with a smile on her face and singing. Suddenly, the children started to run towards her and their governess rushed forward, opening her arms and hugging each one.

"Fraulein Maria!" they exclaimed, throwing themselves at the governess.

"Why did you go to the Abbey?"

"We've missed you!" Brigitta said at the same time as Friedrich.

"I was only gone for a few hours, Brigitta." Maria smiled tenderly to them, touching their cheeks. "I'm here again!"

Hede was looking at the scene with a smile, happy to see the children with their moods brightened. She could see there was something different in Maria's demeanor and she wondered if her talk with the Reverend Mother was the cause of it.

"We thought you weren't coming back," Kurt said.

Maria was surprised by the children's fears. "But I wrote in the letter that I was only going away for a short while. Didn't your father tell you?"

"Yes, but we missed you!" Gretl said again, clutching her waist. "Look Fraulein Maria" she raised her finger.

"What happened to your finger?" Maria narrowed her eyes, looking at the finger closely.

"It got caught in Friedrich's teeth!" she said before laughing, her tears clearly forgotten.

Maria took her little hand and kissed the finger, smiling at her. When she raised her head she noticed Hede was there and gave her a shy smile.

"Hello, Fraulein Maria. It's good to see you're back" Hede said.

"Hello, Fraulein von Trapp," she said politely.

"The children are very excited to have you back. They don't want their Auntie Hede anymore," she joked, winking at the children.

"We love you, Aunt Hede, and we love Fraulein Maria very much too," Marta said, giggling.

"Yes! And we have lots of things to tell you, Fraulein Maria!" Louisa said, excitedly.

"The most important thing is that Baroness Schaeder has returned to Vienna," Brigitta continued Louisa's sentence.

"Returned to Vienna?" Maria was clearly puzzled by Brigitta's words, a frown on her face.

"Yes. And she isn't coming back." Louisa nodded.

A flash of hope crossed Maria's eyes, though it was brief. She was speechless, with her mouth slightly parted, looking at the children, confused. It seemed she wanted to say something, but the children interrupted her.

"Father, look, Fraulein Maria has come back from the Abbey!"

Hede saw that her brother was on the balustrade, completely still, watching the scene from afar. Georg was looking at the Fraulein, with a bewildered smile on his face. He seemed confused, like Maria.

Maria found her voice and said solemnly. "Good evening, Captain."

"Good evening," he smiled a little more, mesmerized by her, with his eyes shining like they had when they were dancing the Laender.

They were transfixed with each other as though they had once again forgotten there were people around them. It was like they hadn't seen each other for several years, with longing in their eyes. There was an obvious magnetism between them.

"All right, everyone inside, let's get our dinner," Hede said after seeing their exchange, wanting to give Georg some time alone with Maria.

Surprisingly, the children ran towards the villa without any protest, and Hede followed them, giving a wink to her brother.

Only some minutes after, they entered the villa. Georg appeared with Fraulein Maria, who was looking at the wall intensely. Her face was a mask, a complete contrast with how she was when Hede met her. Hede frowned, not understanding why they had come back in so early and stared at her brother. He was visibly frustrated, with his mouth set in a line.

She and the children had already started eating, and her brother sat down in his chair, taking the glass of wine Franz had poured to him. He took several sips and concentrated on his dinner. Unlike other nights, Georg was quiet and didn't raise his eyes to Fraulein Maria when she wasn't looking, not even once. He ate in silence and drank a little more than he usually did. Fortunately, the children kept Hede and Maria entertained, too happy to have their governess back to notice their father's mood.

Hede noticed that Maria, instead of stealing glances to Georg, focused entirely on the children. She seemed happy to be back; she was chatting, she had the same energy as always, but at the same time, there was sadness in her expressive blue eyes.

When they were having their dessert, Gretl's glass of water slipped from her hands. Part of it fell on Maria's turquoise dress, clinging to her skin. Maria looked at her drenched dress, and stood up, blushing.

"Excuse me, please," she smiled reassuringly at Gretl before leaving the room hurriedly.

Maria came back after some minutes and sat down again in her chair wearing her blue chiffon dress. Gretl apologized to her, worried that her governess was mad at her for dropping the water, but she reassured her it didn't matter. Hede took another piece of the sachertorte when she saw her brother with his glass of wine suspended in the air, next to his lips. He had his eyes glued to Maria, mesmerized by her blue dress until he dropped his eyes, taking a gulp of his wine. Fortunately for Georg, only Hede had seen him.

Afterwards, Hede helped Fraulein Maria tuck the little ones in their beds after a request for a story. When they were finally asleep, Hede took the opportunity to talk to Maria when they were outside the nursery.

"Are you all right, Maria?" she asked, concerned.

"Yes, Hede. It's good to be back at the villa." Maria smiled, looking around.

Hede smiled back. Maria definitely belonged in the villa. "They love you, you know. They missed you even if you were only away for the afternoon."

"And I love them, very much," Maria said with tenderness. It was easy to see how much she loved them.

"They were worried about you. I think that they thought you were going away for more than a few hours."

"Oh," she paused before she continued, a little nervously. "Well, I needed to talk to the Reverend Mother."

Hede didn't know if she should ask too many questions but decided to take a chance. "Was the Reverend Mother available?"

Maria nodded, chewing her lower lip, pensively. "Yes, she was. And she helped me a lot."

Hede waited, but Maria didn't continue talking. She didn't want to make her uncomfortable, so she stopped her questioning. "I'm glad. If you ever need someone to speak, I'm here."

Maria smiled gratefully and sighed a little. "Thank you. I think I'll walk in the garden, if you don't mind, Hede."

Hede was worried. Again, the vivacious Maria had disappeared, becoming a nervous and lost woman. Only with people around, she regained her energy, trying to pretend everything was fine. But when nobody looked at her, she seemed to break down, just like now. "Of course, Maria. You must be tired after waking up so early."

"Yes. Goodnight, Hede." she smiled before leaving her.

She needed to clear her mind too and decided to go to the parlor when she noticed that the doors from the balcony were open. She knew the only one who normally went there was her brother, so she approached the doors and stopped, looking at him. He had his back to Hede, and it was entirely rigid. He was still, and she could see how he was drumming his fingers on the banister, restless.

"Georg," she said.

He stopped drumming his fingers and when she leaned on the banister he gave her a smile that didn't reach his eyes. Hede looked towards the lake and she saw a shadow moving past the trees. She narrowed her eyes until the light of the moon lit up a blue chiffon dress. It was Maria. She stopped by the gate, and Hede cocked her head, noticing Georg was looking intensely at the governess. For the first time since Hede was at the villa, he wasn't trying to disguise his feelings in front of her. He rested his arms, accommodating himself on the banister, without taking his eyes from the moving silhouette.

"You were too quiet at the dinner table." Hede touched his arm, smiling at him. He only gave a lopsided smile, still engrossed with Maria. "Was it the wine?"

It seemed to do the trick because he looked at her, briefly. "Oh, undoubtedly the wine."

He stared at Maria again and started fidgeting with his fingers. Hede couldn't stand it anymore, and even if she promised herself she wouldn't interfere, the thought of seeing him so miserable again was enough to make her intervene.

"Georg. What are you going to do?"

"About what?" he muttered, with his eyes transfixed by Maria.

"About Maria."

Georg suddenly moved his head to her, with his eyes wide at her answer. For being so intelligent, sometimes he was really dense.

"Don't look so surprised, Georg. I saw you two dancing in the courtyard."

"You saw us?" he said, surprised.

"Yes, but you only had eyes for her. I left before you noticed me, I wanted to make sure no one had seen you two. Elsa arrived just when you were finishing. It was easy to see you loved Maria." She remembered their dance vividly and how engrossed they were with each other.

"Don't say that!" he snapped, looking away from her.

Hede wasn't afraid of his temper. When he feigned anger it was his way of hiding that he was at his most vulnerable point.

"Why? It's true," she said, her brother still avoiding her eyes, trying to act as if he was angry with her. "Stop hiding, Georg. You love her. Your eyes shine when you look at her and you're always scanning the room, looking for her. You're acting the same way you did when you were with Agathe."

"That's not true," he hissed.

"Georg, it's me. Don't lie to me," she said softly, hoping to break his façade. She knew that only with her and with Maria - because he was in love and could let his walls down - would he show his vulnerable side.

He looked at her and she saw something in his eyes shift. He sighed and put a hand to his forehead. "I don't know how...how it happened. I've tried, I've really tried to not fall in love with her, God only knows. But..." He stopped, seeming lost.

"And you thought it was only an infatuation," she added, understanding his lack of words.

He nodded, still in silence. Knowing how hard it was for her brother to open up, she continued. "Why did you dance with her?"

"It was a promise. She told me her last wish before entering the Abbey was to dance and I promised myself if I could, I would grant her that wish," he said, stealing glances to where Maria was, next to the gate.

"And you didn't think about the fact that the woman you were courting was there, or that half of Salzburg was in the ballroom." It wasn't a reproof, she only wanted her brother to be honest.

"No. She was teaching Kurt how to dance the Laendler." He chuckled, remembering the dance. "And before I could think I was extending my hand to her. I couldn't resist it. I...I wanted to touch her. I needed to touch her." He whispered the last words, looking back at Maria, who was disappearing into the trees.

Hede decided to say what everyone could easily see. "I think she loves you too."

"You don't know that," he said, a bit brusquely. "She's attracted to me, nothing more."

"You're wrong. She looks at you exactly how you look at her."

"No, she doesn't" he denied again.

"But what if she does?" she persisted.

"It's not fair for her. She's probably half my age. She deserves someone younger, without seven children and a man with a past." He moved restlessly on the balcony.

"You don't know what she wants, you're assuming it instead of asking her," she said, not caring if he didn't want to continue the conversation.

He stopped dead in his tracks. "She wants to be a nun! A nun, Hede! It's her dream. I have to respect that." he blurted out, clenching his jaw. "Today I tried to ask her why she went to the Abbey...and it was like talking to a wall!"

"She was probably afraid, she just came back. And you didn't ask her what her dreams or desires were now."

"If that makes her happy...then I'm happy." He closed his eyes, sighing before looking again at her. "Look, Hede, I was married once. I loved Agathe deeply, and she died. There are no second chances, not in matters of love."

"Again, you don't know that."

"Hede, really..." he said, clearly getting tired of their conversation.

"Ask her. what if she has changed her wish? Think about it, Georg. She suddenly went to the Abbey to talk with the Reverend Mother after the Laendler. You will lose nothing. Just ask her if it's still her desire. And if is her wish, you'll respect her dream, but at least you'll never be wondering "what if"... "

"I told you, it was like talking to a wall," he repeated again.

"Exactly what happens when people talk with you about personal matters."

Georg was silent, pondering her answer. He rubbed his neck, uncertain about what to do, and looked back to where Maria was before.

"I don't want you to be miserable again," Hede murmured, worried about him.

"I won't be distant with my children again," Georg said softly, reassuring her that it wouldn't be the same as when Agathe died.

"That's not what concerns me. You have reconnected with them. However, you deserve to be happy. Just think about it," she said softly.

For someone who had fought bravely in the war, had buried a brother and a wife, and had raised - in his way and grieving - seven children, he was still a little boy, afraid of opening his heart. People often forgot that there was a human being under the walls he had raised; a Captain with a shell that covered physical wounds and deep scars to his soul, a Naval Hero who had lost too much in several years, a vulnerable man raised in an aristocratic world in which he wasn't able to show his fears and nightmares.

Hede rested a hand on his shoulder and gently kissed his cheek. She needed to give him some space, her work was done, and she only hoped he would think about their conversation. She smiled lovingly at him before leaving the balcony, deciding it was time to get some sleep, and hoping that he would decide to act for his future happiness.

* * *

Aaaaand here it is! I hope you like it. Thank you very much for your lovely words, it means a lot to me!

Special thanks to bloomandgrow, for everything she has done.

I don't own TSOM.


	5. Chapter 5

After an eventful week full of rollercoaster emotions, Hede woke up quite late, almost at noon. She had missed breakfast, and she was sure that Georg would never let her forget her lateness. She dressed, thinking about the night before and her conversation with Georg, and she wondered if he had decided to approach Maria or continue with his inner battle.

After she brushed her hair, she went downstairs, looking for Frau Schmidt. Her stomach was rumbling as usual, and she decided to eat something before looking for Georg. He always prized the time he had after breakfast because he always said it was the only moment from the day he could be alone.

Walking past the foyer, she found Frau Schmidt, changing some flowers in a vase. The housekeeper smiled warmly at her, leaving the fresh flowers before approaching her.

"Hello, Frau Schmidt."

"Hello, Fraulein von Trapp. Would you like some tea and pastries?" Frau Schmidt said with a twinkle in her eyes, remembering well how Hede's moods changed if she didn't eat.

"Yes, please. I've noticed the maids have already cleaned the dining room, so I will take it in the library, " Hede smiled back. She suddenly noticed that the villa was in complete silence. She had been so absorbed in her thoughts she hadn't realized there weren't any loud voices or squeals. "Where are the children? They make so much noise even when they're studying."

"Herr Detwiler came back this morning and has taken the children for a picnic near the boathouse. The children were so excited when he suggested it, and in the blink of an eye they ran to the kitchen and talked to Cook about what they wanted for their snacks." Frau Schmidt laughed remembering their excitement.

"I'm sure they'll have a great time with Max. By the way, do you know if my brother is at the villa?"

"Captain von Trapp was talking to the governess in his study. " The housekeeper opened her mouth again like she was about to say something, but then she pressed her lips in a line before smiling a little.

"Oh." Hede decided to postpone her talk with Georg, to give him more time with Maria. "Thank you, Frau Schmidt."

Hede went to the library, and sat down next to a little desk at the back of the room, waiting for Frau Schmidt to arrive with her breakfast. She sighed, and looked around the room, admiring the long mahogany shelves, completely filled with books. The ballroom was Agathe's favorite place at the villa because it represented her love for music and dance. But the library had been always Georg's room.

It was astonishing how that room had changed from time to time. She had some early memories of it with her father before he died. He used to smoke his pipe next to the fireplace and read one of his large books about Naval history, every night. After her father passed away the library was closed and it was only used to pick books and place them back. Georg was the last one to return to that room after their father died; he never placed a foot until he was eight. He was only four when their father passed away, and the first time he went to the library, afterwards, he cried when he saw their father's favorite armchair and didn't dare to come back until he was older.

When Georg ventured back to the library again, he started to make that room his own. First, he used to leave his favorite model boats there, after reading his tales. Then, he moved his most beloved collection of novels onto shelves at an eye-level position; and afterwards, he used to play his violin there because he claimed he preferred how it sounded in the library. When he married Agathe, he changed the color of the walls and put a painting of a boat on a stormy day. And now that he had let music come back to his life, the violin was there again. Georg had always played like a professional, however, he didn't possess Agathe's grace in her playing. And just like he did with the ballroom, he banished one of the most beloved parts of his life because he couldn't face the past.

Hede understood Georg better than most people. When she was catching up with the children and found he had let them use the ballroom for their puppet show, she knew that it was a significant step for him, and even more so, when he had agreed to host the party in the same room which had been Agathe's favorite. Like the library, he had only entered those rooms when he felt he was brave enough to confront the memories. And in the process of healing, he was clinging to the memories of the ballroom and letting the bad ones go away.

The housekeeper interrupted her reverie when she appeared at the library with a tray. She put it on the desk and poured the tea into the delicate china teacup. When she finished, she stared at Georg's violin case before looking back at her.

"The Captain has been playing his beloved violin again," she told Hede.

"I know. I found him practicing three days ago," she answered, watching Frau Schmidt's face closely.

"He still plays beautifully. I'm glad to see him back." The housekeeper paused, sighing a little. "This house has been in silence for too long."

"And now?" Hede asked, wanting to know what else Frau Schmidt had observed.

"Sometimes we need a push in the right direction," Frau Schmidt said briefly, giving her a knowing smile, before picking up the tray again and leaving.

Hede took the teacup and smiled before taking a sip. If it hadn't been for Frau Schmidt, Hede wouldn't have been comfortable leaving the house when Georg let his grief poison his life. The housekeeper had loved them as if they were of her own blood and flesh, and just like her, Hede was happy to see him back again. And Georg hadn't been subtle with his feelings lately.

Putting aside her musings, she concentrated on her breakfast, enjoying the strong, black tea and the cookies Frau Schmidt had brought for her. She savored the silence that surrounded her, enjoying one of the few moments in solitude she had had since she arrived at the villa.

When she was taking the last sip of the delicious tea, she heard the deep strong timbre from her brother, followed by the melodic sound of Maria's voice. To her surprise they entered the library, stopping near the bookcase though they were too engrossed with each other to notice Hede's presence at the back of the room. There was a change in their demeanor, the air became electrified and they were standing close together like they were gravitating towards each other.

"...it was entirely an accident," Maria said, with her hands on her hips and a small smile on her lips.

"But your leg was stuck between two branches, wasn't it?" He teased, giving her one of his smug smiles.

He had his desired effect because Maria frowned. "Should I remind you about what I learned about your face stuck between two iron bars?"

"...Don't change the subject!" he said, raising a teasing finger and moving it in front of her face before he continued tantalizing her." Were you stuck in a tree, yes or no?"

"Yes, I will change the subject! And I wasn't stuck!" Maria's frown was deepening.

"Liar! Louisa told me you struggled for several minutes until you could release your leg. And I always thought you never had problems in your mountains and trees," he purred, giving her a Cheshire cat smile.

"Well, I was lucky compared to you. I didn't need oil to release it," she said casually, raising her eyebrows.

His smile left his face, narrowing his eyes. "Be careful...Or I will have to have a sympathetic chat with Sister Berthe, to learn about all your other transgressions."

"I'm sure you'll end up being good friends!" Maria exclaimed, before laughing. Georg's deep laugh resonated through the library. It warmed Hede's heart to hear the sound after several years.

Georg stopped chuckling suddenly and smiled at Maria. She was glowing, looking at him with adoration, completely mesmerized. Then, he rested his hands on her shoulders and kissed her forehead lightly while she closed her eyes, sighing, resting her hands around his neck. He continued peppering kisses all over her face, caressing her skin with his lips, closing his eyes too until he stopped at her mouth, capturing her lips in a long, slow kiss.

It was clear to Hede that their conversation last night had gone rather well...

Feeling that she was intruding, she decided it was time to warn them she was there, and she cleared her throat until they parted. They were surprised to find Hede there, clearly embarrassed that she had witnessed their kiss. She stood up and approached them.

"Hello, Hede," Georg said, with his ears red and trying to act as if nothing had transpired between them. His eyes were sparkling with annoyance towards her, but it wasn't anything she couldn't deal with.

Maria's cheeks were completely flushed and she didn't know where to look. Hede smiled, and cocked an eyebrow, waiting for an answer to her silent question.

Her brother stared at her while Maria put a hand in his arm until his anger melted, and he returned the smile. He extended his hand and took Maria's, entwining their fingers slowly. Hede saw a pale line that contrasted with his tanned skin where his wedding ring used to be.

That little observation stirred Hede's heart. He had removed the last thing that connected him to Agathe. He had finally let her go. Instead of grieving for his lost wife, he had found love again with an outspoken governess. Hede knew that even while courting the Baroness, he had still worn his gold wedding band. But for Maria, he had removed it, showing her that he was ready to start a life with her.

"Hede, we're engaged," he said softly.

Hede gave them a bright smile, though she had been expecting what he revealed. "I see. That's wonderful! I think that congratulations are in order." She reached out to hug her brother and then welcomed Maria with a warm embrace. She felt exhilarated that Georg had found happiness again.

Georg nodded, with the smile still plastered on his face "We told the children at breakfast. We didn't know if it was best to wait for you but..."

"...We thought we needed a private moment with the children to ask them if they didn't mind that I was marrying their father." Maria finished Georg's sentence with an edge of nervousness in her voice.

"Yes," he said softly, staring at Maria for some seconds until he looked back at Hede, clearing his throat. " And I had a private conversation with Liesl. It was important for us to see if they agreed to our marriage."

"How did the children take your engagement?" she asked, wondering how the news had affected them.

"Seven children, seven personalities, seven different ages, and seven different reactions. They weren't against it, though they need their time to process the information." Maria said, trying to sound confident, but she was fidgeting with her fingers and chewing her lower lip, worriedly.

"I'm sure in the end they'll be happy about it, Maria. They love you too much." Hede reassured Maria, but she still seemed unconvinced.

And how could she not be anxious? She was going to become Baroness von Trapp, the mother of seven children and wife of a Naval Captain hero. Maria was being very brave leaving her old life and entering a new one completely different from what she was accustomed to.

Georg took Maria's hands with one of his larger hands, giving her an intense look, while he caressed her hands with his thumb. Maria stared at him and for several seconds and they stood looking at each other and having one of their many silent conversations. Finally, Maria gave him a tiny nod and Georg gave her the full smile that Hede hadn't seen in years. It showed his dimples, and the smile was also there in his eyes, so full of warmth and love.

Maria seemed to relax. "I'll leave you two. I want to prepare a game for the children before they come back," she said, more cheerfully than before.

"The children will be fine if you take a day off from your duties, Maria" Georg muttered gently.

"I want to spend part of the day with them. They need to feel that nothing's going to change, Capta...Georg" she answered hurriedly before Georg could give her one of his famous scowls.

Maria smiled at them, giving Georg's hand a tender squeeze, before leaving the library. Georg followed her with his eyes until she left the room and closed the door. Public displays of affection weren't part of him, but the lovesick look he was giving Maria made Hede realize he would have difficulties keeping his hands off Maria. Georg sighed softly until he suddenly remembered his sister was there.

"Why didn't you say anything when we first arrived at the library?" he hissed at Hede, some color appearing in his ears again.

"I was going to speak to you but you were too engrossed with each other. Honestly, you wouldn't have noticed if a monkey in a U-boat fired fishes at the villa." She chewed her lip, trying not to laugh at his disgruntled face.

"Next time put a cowbell around your neck and then perhaps we will hear you," he snapped, frowning, with his ears still red. She could even swear that his cheeks were a little redder than usual.

"You're like a petulant child," she teased him back, not afraid of his irritation.

"And you're a nosy sister, " Georg threw back sharply.

"Oh stop being such a grouch just because you're embarrassed," she retorted with sisterly affection. "I am so happy for you Georg. This is one of the best things that has happened to you. It's so obvious how happy you are and I am just thrilled. Maria is perfect for you."

Georg seemed to relax somewhat and nodded with a smile. "Thank you Hede. That means a lot."

"But tell me, how did your talk with Maria go last night?" Hede asked curiously. "I was worried about how it would turn out."

Georg took a deep breath, fully letting go of his anger and embarrassment. "Well...I found her in the gazebo. She wasn't happy to see me at first. Maria was quite defensive and devastated about my relationship with Elsa. When I told her that Elsa had gone back to Vienna, she said she was sorry that I would miss her, but she would come back soon."

"That she was sorry?" Hede repeated, puzzled.

"Yes. To say that I was surprised would be an understatement."

"The Great Captain Georg Johannes Ritter von Trapp, shocked and surprised..." she joked a little, trying to ease the tension she could still see in her brother.

His eyes narrowed dangerously once again at her teasing and she chuckled lightly. She gave him a nod, encouraging him to continue.

"At first it was like talking to a wall, exactly as she had been when she returned from the Abbey. I didn't know how to approach her, and when I confessed my feelings she didn't believe me at first" He started to pace the library, becoming more agitated while remembering the night before. "How do you make someone believe you when you're confessing your feelings?"

"Through actions, Georg."

"Exactly. But I didn't propose to Elsa!" he stopped dead in his tracks, shaking his head.

"You were courting her, Georg. You don't have to be a genius to understand the implications. Maria was scared," she stated.

"Yes, yes." He brushed away her remark with his hand. "She was sorry that Elsa left forever, and I said to her that you can't continue courting someone when you're in love with someone else."

"And?"

"And she said she was sure I would eventually get tired of her," he said with a hurt voice.

"What?"

"Hede, are you really deaf or are you trying to be oblivious and repeat everything like a parrot just to exasperate me?" he huffed, pacing around her again like a wolf.

"Oh, God help me" she muttered, breathing deeply before continuing. There were more things on his mind that were clearly upsetting him. "Who said that to her?"

Georg looked at her, his blue eyes were wide, completely surprised. "How did you know there was a third person?"

"Maria has better judgment and she's very wise despite her young age. I've seen how she looks at you and believe me, she knows your flaws. But what she said to you doesn't sound like what Maria would say."

Georg nodded briefly, wiggling his fingers. "It was at the party."

She immediately thought about the dance." Don't tell me that..."

"No" he interrupted her before she could finish her sentence. "But there was a friend of Herr Zeller who was talking to him. Maria was near, and they were exchanging their views about me and my governess, implying despicable things," he said furiously.

"Damm Herr Zeller and the Nazis..."

"Precisely. They're always interfering with my life, and frankly, I'm fed up with it. " Georg clenched his jaw, becoming angrier still, and Hede touched his fingers, taking his hand until she felt him relax under her touch.

"And?" she asked, waiting patiently for him to continue.

"She thought I wanted nothing respectable with her, probably believing I would want her to be my mistress." he cringed after saying that word, snorting. "I must confess I was hurt that she believed that of me. I would never do that to her," Georg said in a softer voice, shaking his head and whispering. "I love her too much. It would kill both of us. Not being able to touch, not being able to kiss until the night and behind four walls; unable to grow old together, living in secrecy. That would tear us apart."

"That's a common thing in our world, sadly," she muttered, caressing his cheek gently. "But you're too honorable, my Georg."

He smiled sweetly at her, taking her hand and kissing her knuckles before releasing it "She confessed to me later she believed I was too honorable to want that, but she was confused about everything. "

"But she finally believed you."

"Eventually, yes. It wasn't as easy as it seemed. But Maria is always surprising me," he said lightly, tender amusement in his eyes.

Hede bit back a smile. "She's exactly what you need. Someone who isn't afraid of saying what they think to you, someone who can drag you away of your dark thoughts. It's good that she's outspoken with you and has the patience of a saint in certain moments."

"I thought I was your brother," he retorted, sounding like a petulant child.

"And I love you too much, and know you to well, Giorgio," she teased him.

Hede was glad to have an opportunity to gently poke fun at him again as she used to do before Agathe passed away. She recalled how she couldn't even say Agathe's name because he barked and snapped at her. Besides being his sister, she had been his confessor and friend. The confidence they had towards each other had broken four years ago and Georg had pushed her away when she tried to reach him. But she knew him better than anyone, and she had waited patiently, not giving up on him. And now, just like with his children, their relationship was fully restored.

She went back to the little table and sat down, taking one of the cookies and chewing it in silence. Georg took another one, sitting next to her and brushing aside the crumbs off his mouth. It was lovely to enjoy a quiet moment with her brother and seeing him with his glow back. He gave her a big smile which showed his dimples, and Hede smiled back.

"You will have to look for your Navy uniform."

Apparently, it was the wrong thing to say because his smile died from his face, his eyes changing from the glow he had acquired since Maria had accepted his proposal, to a wistful look.

"It will be probably the last time I use it," he muttered, caressing his scar pensively with his finger.

"Don't be so negative, Georg. You don't know that," she replied, trying to drag him away from his thoughts.

"I know. And before you say it, I know I'll use it for Liesl's wedding, one day. But that uniform holds such significance for me, and what it means to serve my country." He gestured angrily. "They can take me away my country but not my love for it."

"Georg..." she sighed, worried about him and how the situation with Austria was affecting him.

"I know, Hede" he repeated, again, giving her a little smile. "I have Maria and the children, and that's what matters. Austria is my homeland and they are my home."

"What are you going to do?" she dared to ask, afraid of his answer.

"Leave, if necessary," he said gravely. "I'm preparing myself if the occasion arrives."

She felt a pang inside her, but she wasn't surprised at his decision. Somehow she had always known he would walk away from the Nazis and never join them.

"Come with us, Hede," he said suddenly, looking at her. "What if the Nazis arrive in Paris?"

"Georg..." she sighed, but her brother interrupted her.

"You'll be in danger. You can't stay there!" He was becoming agitated with the thought that she might be in danger, and Hede raised a hand to stop him.

"Georg," she repeated again, with a firm voice. "I'm old enough to take care of myself. We won't lose contact. You'll never lose me. Never. But you can't control every situation around the world, and you can't stop certain things. Think about Maria and the children. Do whatever you have to do, if necessary. Tell me if you need anything. You have to trust me as I trust you. If that day arrives, I'll see. But stop worrying now, please"

"I only...well..." he swallowed but didn't finish the sentence.

"I know," she said softer than before, giving him a warm smile, trying to lift his spirits. She only hoped Austria and the rest of Europe could remain apart from the Nazis. And she knew if she was in danger she would leave with them. But it wasn't time to dwell or speculate about that. Deciding to lighten up the mood, she changed the subject.

"Have you decided when are you going to get married?" she said in a lighter voice.

"Tomorrow we'll talk to the Reverend Mother. And we've decided we will marry in four months. It's not too soon, which helps us to counter the future hurtful gossip. I don't care what they say about me," he shrugged nonchalantly. "I only care about what people say about the children and Maria. And well...it gives me time to properly court Maria," he added with a mischievous smile, which reminded her of when he was little.

That smile gave Hede shivers. Being Agathe and Georg's chaperone had been easy. They were always surrounded by her fearful brothers, who easily gave Georg dangerous looks if he was more than two seconds away from kissing her. His father-in-law had also always been breathing down his neck, and never left them alone. However, Hede sensed this time was going to be more difficult than the last time. Her brother would never do anything inappropriate with Maria before wedlock, but she knew he was too smitten by Maria. She only hoped Max would become a better chaperone than he had been with Elsa and Georg.

"Hede, I've talked to Maria about wedding arrangements. We've decided that we want Liesl to be the maid of honor," he said suddenly, taking a deep breath before continuing. "You and Maria are always reminding me that Liesl is not a child anymore, and..."

"Georg" Hede interrupted him gently, shaking her head. "I'm not offended. I think it's a great idea. I was the maid of honor at your wedding with Agathe and now it's Liesl's time. She's not a child anymore."

Georg nodded, though he wasn't very happy to be reminded Liesl wasn't a child. Hede held back her amusement. If he was like this with Liesl now, Hede didn't want to think about what would happen the day one of his five daughters married.

"She's only a teenager," he stated, staring at his fingers like he wasn't concerned.

"Wait until your other four daughters are teenagers. Or until they start courting someone."

Georg groaned and looked at her with his face completely white, aghast, and Hede only laughed at his expression.

"Don't worry old man, you've still got time."

* * *

When the children arrived back from the picnic they were glowing after an entire morning playing and shouting near the lake. Dinner was spent with laughs, squeals, and exciting tales. Friedrich and Louisa were quieter than usual, smiling and chuckling from time to time, but detached from the conversation. They were the ones who remembered their mother the best, apart from Liesl. They only needed some time to adjust to the news.

That night, Georg and Maria tucked the little children into their beds after reading their favorite tale. Hede waited for them in the parlor, enjoying one of her long cigarettes and chatting happily with Max. Max and Georg had had a long talk in his study that morning. Hede hadn't dared to ask him about their conversation, after all, it was something private. But the charming sponge surprised her.

"Well, it seems we will have a wedding soon," Max said, swaying the amber liquor from his glass before taking a sip. "Somehow I expected this situation."

"You did?" she asked, but not surprised about his statement.

"Before you came here, the children performed a beautiful act with their puppets. Fraulein Maria yodeled with her perfect melodic pitch, and Georg was very much impressed. It's quite difficult to find Georg impressed about something." he said, before taking another sip from the whiskey.

"I won't deny it, he's a perfectionist." she looked at Max through the dark cloud of her smoke.

Max took a drag of his cigar, nodding to her. "True. And after that, the children wanted him to sing a song. Maria coaxed him and he accepted."

"And no-one coaxes my brother into doing what they want," she said, guessing what he was implying.

"Not only that, Hede. When Maria was talking with the children, Georg couldn't stop staring at her. He thought no one would notice him." he laughed softly, before taking another sip of his whiskey. "And then, when he finished singing Edelweiss he was gazing at Maria with such longing. Unfortunately, Elsa noticed too. I had to say something to distract the attention away from them. Several days after that I had a long talk with him."

Hede raised her eyebrows in a silent question, taking the last drag of her cigarette and waiting for the charming sponge to continue.

"He didn't do anything inappropriate but he was playing with fire, still courting Elsa and looking sideways at the governess. I was worried about him and the whole situation. " He stroked his mustache, pensively, leaving the empty glass on the table. "It wasn't easy to be in the middle. Elsa is my friend. But I've known Georg for more than twenty years."

He stopped talking, cocking his head and staying silent for several seconds. He took a long breath before continuing. "You know how he has been. Miserable. Sorrowful. A ghost. And though Elsa is a little bit hurt, I don't want him to be depressed all his life. Now that he has found happiness again I am delighted for him."

"He's lucky to have a good friend like you," she said softly.

"He's lucky to have both of us and Maria. But it's nothing he doesn't deserve."

* * *

Two days after Georg proposed marriage to Maria, Hede had her travel cases packed and waiting in the hall. She was going back to Paris, deciding her time at the villa had ended. Georg had insisted she was welcome to stay as much as she wanted, but she preferred to let Maria bond with the children now that she was officially becoming their mother. She had already their love, but she needed their complete acceptance, and Hede felt it was best to give them time alone.

The children had gloomy looks upon their faces, sad their aunt was going back to the city of love. However, Hede would eventually come back to be one of the five chaperones her brother and Maria were going to have. She took her time to say goodbye to each one, kissing their cheeks several times and hugging them. Eventually, Max had dragged them to the ballroom to entertain them, so Hede was able to leave the villa quietly after their tearful farewells.

Georg was in Salzburg with Maria, and Hede was sad she couldn't say goodbye to them. However, she had to take the train and Franz was waiting for her after he had put the travel cases in the back with an irritated face. She sighed and went to the car, opening the door. When she was about to sit, Georg and Maria arrived in the other car, and Georg halted the car, getting out from it.

"Franz, go back to the villa. I'll take my sister to the train station," he commanded, taking long strides until he was next to them.

"But Georg...Franz can drive me," she protested weakly.

"Franz," he repeated again. He took off the roof of the car while Maria sat in the back, then he got in the convertible Mercedes, and when he closed the door he hit the accelerator.

Hede had forgotten how Georg drove, and she felt queasy because he took the curves like a madman. She almost lost her hat three times thanks to her brother's love for high speed, and her light scarf disappeared after a gust of wind and a sudden halt from the car.

"Next time remind me to let Franz drive me to the station," she muttered irritably when they arrived at the station, relocating her hat and taking one of the travel cases. Maria didn't look better; she was trying to smooth down the ruffled curls she had after their drive.

"I'm sorry, but you were going to lose the train," he said sheepishly, taking her other suitcases up to the platform. They stood next to the train, steam emerging from funnels, and the noise and bustle of the station around them. Hede looked at Maria.

"Maria..." she said, giving her a full smile.

"Hede," she returned the smile, and in the blink of an eye, they hugged.

"Thank you, Maria. I know I've said it to you several times, but you've given me my family back," she whispered near her ear, still hugging her.

"It's me who's grateful. Now I can say I have a family." Maria murmured, before releasing her, still smiling.

"Take care of my stubborn brother," she raised her voice, hoping Georg would hear it.

Georg scowled at her, not amused, and she winked at him. "Don't look at me like that."

"I can't comprehend how my patience is still in place when you're near me." he snorted, frowning.

"Georg..." she said sweetly, smiling at him. "Take care."

Georg didn't say anything until he opened his arms and embraced her, giving her a hug. She was surprised because he didn't like public displays of affection. Still, she put her arms around his neck, prolonging the hug for several seconds before releasing him.

Something stirred in her heart while looking at his eyes. It was easy to see the love he felt for her. She had missed him.

"You will come back."

It wasn't a question, more a statement. But Hede smiled, and replied, "Always."

* * *

Several months after Georg's proposal of marriage to Maria, Hede found herself in the Cathedral of Salzburg, eagerly waiting for her brother and his future wife. She was in the first row, next to Max, with a joyful smile upon her face. Georg was already at the altar, looking very handsome in his Naval uniform. He seemed relaxed and happy, but he was slightly nervous because he was clutching his hat, preventing his fingers from wiggling as he usually did.

She could remember perfectly well the last time she was there. Twenty years ago her brother married Agathe Whitehead, a woman who had made her brother mature beyond years. Their love had been a strong one, and the proof was the seven beautiful children they had, and the broken heart Georg had been left with after she died. Now here he was again, fully dressed in his Navy suit, waiting for the young woman who had helped him to heal his heart and soul, who had reconnected a lost father to his children.

It hadn't been easy. After returning to Paris, Hede had prepared herself to go back to the villa. It was Georg's wish that she should be of the chaperones who had to be in Aigen to prevent the ghastly gossip that started to spread through Salzburg the second they became engaged.

The children had been excited to have Maria as their mother. But after they had told the children, they each had different reactions and responses. While they had given their permission, each of the children still needed to process the information. The little ones were excited. Brigitta was thrilled. Kurt was confused at first. Louisa had needed reassurance that she wasn't betraying her mother's memory by loving Maria as a mother. Friedrich had been skeptical for a day, though fortunately that disappeared soon. Liesl took her time to adjust to the fact that she didn't have to be in the mother role after all this time taking that position.

And being a chaperone wasn't an easy task. Max took his duty more intensely than he did with Elsa. But it was Hede who always found her brother kissing Maria. Georg was in a sour mood every time she had to clear her throat when she noticed they were too engrossed with each other. But she was a good sister, and she gave them some space when they took their long walks every night after, though she would give him a threatening look as she sent them off.

The gossip spread rapidly and everyone in Salzburg knew that Captain Georg von Trapp was marrying the governess. Sometimes the gossips were hurtful, especially the ones which involved Maria. One day she almost cried; however, she was more preoccupied about the children and Georg's reputation.

Hede had found Maria at the gates in the garden, staring at the lake in silence. Her eyes were puffy, and she guessed Maria had cried only minutes before she had arrived. She was completely alone, but in a place in which she knew Georg could find her easily. Maria at first had been reluctant to explain what she had heard in the city. Finally, after some coaxing and reassurances, Maria had opened up to Hede. She whispered how she wasn't sure how she could fit in that aristocratic world even though there wasn't anything she wanted more than being with Georg and the children.

It showed how big Maria's heart was and how much she loved her family. Hede's heart shattered into millions of pieces, her brother and Maria didn't deserve venomous gossip and people murmuring every time they went to Salzburg. But she knew Maria was strong, and she only needed her confidence back. Hede told Maria how much she'd saved Georg, helping him to reconnect with the children, healing him little by little, and pushing him in the right direction when he got bad-tempered. She was already like a mother to the children. And her brother gave Maria the love she had been searching for in her life. They completed each other like a puzzle, they belonged together, and that was all.

Hede was happy to see them smiling again - not a simple smile, masking their sadness, but a big grin which hurt their faces. She loved how Maria could bring her brother back, with just a look or simple touch, from his brooding and his dark thoughts before the spiral dragged him into a sad mood. There was a time in which she feared her brother had lost his reason to live. But with Maria, he was living and feeling again. His frozen heart had started beating again.

And there he was, waiting for Maria to appear with her white dress, ready to become part of a family that was already hers. Just for this joyous day, the Anschluss and the uncertain future of her brother didn't exist, and Hede pushed away all her worries about him. Not even the Nazis could cloud the happiness which emanated from the cathedral.

The cathedral was full of people, with half of the aristocracy from Austria eagerly waiting. The nuns were at the back, wanting to see their former postulant becoming the wife of a Naval Captain. The latest gossip would, eventually, come to an end.

Finally, Maria appeared with a lovely long white dress, smiling at the nuns and then at Liesl, Marta, and Gretl. The little ones started to walk towards the altar, and Maria followed Liesl. Hede admired Liesl from afar, noticing how much she had grown up in five years and how mature she was, far beyond her years. One of their last conversations in private surprised Hede.

_"Are you children happy with your father remarrying?"_

_"Of course, aunt!" Liesl said hurriedly. "We love Maria too much. It's true Louisa had a hard time at first but she's very happy too. And father deserves to be happy too; he has suffered too much." The children had not only suffered for their mother; they had ached with Georg's sadness._

_"And you've got your father back too," Hede added._

_"I always knew he would eventually come back," Liesl said with confidence._

_"You did?" Hede was astonished by Liesl's conviction._

_"There was one night in which I had a horrible nightmare. Mama passed away only the year before, and he was always angry. We didn't see him. I was thirteen but that night I was scared and I needed him. I went to his study and strangely the door was ajar. I found him crying." She stopped, her eyes moist. "I didn't dare to enter or to say anything, but that scene shocked me completely. Even in his worst times, I've always remembered that. Seeing him, always so still, secure and brave, crying..." her voice cracked in the end, full of emotion, and she cleared her throat. "He was only lost for a while and then he came back. And we thank Maria for her part in that"_

Hede realized that no, Liesl wasn't a child anymore; she was a fully grown woman. She was glad Georg had understood he couldn't treat her like Gretl or Marta.

Behind Liesl was Maria, walking and smiling towards Georg. People were admiring her beauty in her wedding dress, though Maria was oblivious to them; she only had eyes for Georg. Her brother was more relaxed now that she was there, staring at Maria with a small smile on his lips. It was easy to see the love they had. Georg extended his hand to her, taking her little one into his bigger one, entwining their fingers and Hede sighed, happily with the love that surrounded her.

Even if the future was dark and obscure, her brother wouldn't be sinking in the water anymore. He had found his port in Maria.

_Fin_

* * *

Well! Here's the last chapter. Thank you very much to everyone who has reviewed, followed and favorited this story. I'm very grateful for the support I had since the beginning! I hope you like the epilogue of this story.

Special thanks to bloomandgrow, for everything you've done.

I don't own TSOM.


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